"  3  in .'6^. 

PRINCETON,  N.  J 

BV  4501  .M48  1894 
Meyer,  F.  B.  1847-1929 
Calvary  to  Pentecost 


'V- 


CALVARY  TO   PENTECOST  ; 

i 

I 


Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer,  B.A. 

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CALVARY  TO  PENTECOST 


/BY 

F.  B.  MEYER,  B.  A. 

AUTHOR  OF 
THE   SHEPHERD  PSALM,"  '' JOSHUA,"  ''THE  LIFE  AND 
LIGHT  OF  MEN,"  ETC. 


1 


FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 
New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Publishers  of  Evangelical  Literature 


Copyright,  1894 
Fleming  H.  Revell  Company 


PREFACE 


"  I  HAVE  chosen  you  out  of  the 
world,"  the  Master  said.  And  again, 
"They  are  not  of  the  world."  This  is 
the  true  position  of  every  member  of 
His  mystical  body — the  Church. 

In  the  purpose  of  God,  we  have 
passed  out  of  the  world  which  rejected 
our  Lord,  and  belong  to  that  in  which 
He  is  supreme.  We  are  not  oblivious 
to  the  needs  of  the  world  which  He  so 
loved  and  loves.  Its  sorrows  and  sins 
He  near  our  heart ;  its  call  for  help,  like 
the  piteous  cry  of  sailors  from  a  wreck, 
is  ever  in  our  ears ;  its  needs  call  out 
our  most  strenuous  energies.      But  we 


Ipreface 


do  not  belong  to  it.  We  enter  it  con- 
stantly, to  be  its  salt  and  light ;  but  our 
true  standing  is  without  it,  where  Jesus 
is. 

We  need,  then,  to  understand  and 
embrace  the  principles  of  the  Risen  and 
Ascended  Life,  which  dates  from  the 
cross,  as  its  dawn,  and  climbs  in  glori- 
ous gradations  toward  the  meridian  of 
a  day  that  can  never  be  shadowed  by 
night.  Some  of  these  principles  are 
expounded  in  the  following  pages. 

F.  B.  Meyer. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  PAGE 

I.  The  Wondrous  Cross ii 

II.  The  Resurrection 25 

III.  Ascension  Day 47 

IV.  Christ  in  You  the  Hope 61 

V.  Spiritual  Environment 73 

VI.  The  Exorcism  of  Self 87 

VII.  Agonizing  unto  Perfection 103 

VIII.  The  Peace  that  Guards 117 

IX.  The  Art  of  Sitting  Still 135 

X.  The  Supreme  Gift  of  the  Ascension  .  147 


THE   WONDROUS   CROSS 


THE  WONDROUS  CROSS 

The  passing  years  enhance  the  pre- 
ciousness  of  the  cross.  We  thought  we 
loved  it,  and  the  Httle  hill  of  Calvary, 
and  the  garden  with  its  sweet  spring 
flowers,  in  those  days,  now  receding  far 
behind  us,  wdien  we  first  found  refuge 
beneath  its  outstretched  arms.  But  as 
the  shadows  of  life  besfin  to  fall,  how- 
ever  slightly  or  evidently  from  a  west- 
ering sun,  its  meaning  unfolds  itself. 
There  is  more  than  one  manner  of  fruit 
on  the  tree  of  life ;  more  than  one  point 
of  view  from  which  to  behold  it ;  depths 
as  well  as  heights,  lengths  as  well  as 
breadths. 

11 


12  Calvary  to  H^cntecost 

And  yet  when  we  speak  thus  of  the 
cross,  we  never  forget  that  its  value 
consists  in  what  He  was  who  hung  there 
in  dying  agony.  Not  the  cross,  but  the 
Crucified.  Not  the  tree,  but  its  precious 
burden.  Not  the  altar,  but  the  Divine 
Victim  who  there  surrendered  Himself 
without  spot  to  God,  as  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins,  and  not  for  ours  only  but 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  We 
use  the  cross  as  a  comprehensive  word 
for  the  work  which  the  Son  of  God  ac- 
complished there. 

The  river  that  flowed  through  Eden 
parted  into  four  beds,  and  the  doctrine 
of  the  cross  may  be  divided  into  four 
great  lines  of  truth,  respectively  pre- 
sented by  the  writer  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews,  by  the  Apostle  Peter,  by 
the  Apostle  Paul,  and  by  the  disciple 


XLbc  WonDrous  Croes  13 

whom  Jesus  loved.  We  do  not  for  a 
moment  suggest  that  any  of  these 
writers  confines  himself  to  one  aspect 
of  the  death  that  Jesus  died.  Each  of 
them  touches  at  will  every  note  in  the 
octave  of  Calvary.  But  each  gives  his 
own  tone  and  color  to  the  white  ray  of 
divine  light  as  it  radiates  from  the 
cross  of  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

T/ie  ivriter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 
brews was  evidently  educated  amid  the 
sacred  associations  that  centered  in  the 
Temple  at  Jerusalem.  With  throbbing 
heart  he  had  mingled  in  the  vast  festal 
assemblies.  He  had  loved  those  days 
of  exuberant  joy ;  had  felt  the  thrill 
of  psalm  and  hymn,  sung  of  the  choirs 
of  Levites ;  had  realized  the  privileges 
of  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  of  altar 
and  priest,  of  near  access  to  the  holy 


14  Calvary  to  ipentecoBt 

Presence  that  dwelt  between  the  cheru- 
bim. 

All  these  had  vanished,  as  light  off 
the  clouds  of  sunset,  when  with  the  rest 
of  his  Hebrew  fellow  Christians  he  went 
forth  to  Jesus,  outside  the  camp.  At 
first  they  had  felt  dreary  and  sad,  but 
suddenly  had  come  to  see  that  in  the 
cross  of  Jesus  they  had  obtained  the 
spiritual  realities  of  which  Leviticus 
could  only  give  the  transient  symbols 
(Heb.  X.  19;  xii.  23,  24). 

And  perhaps  this  is  the  first  aspect 
in  which  we  view  the  cross.  We  ac- 
count it  the  brazen  altar  where  Jesus 
put  away  the  sins  of  the  world.  We 
see  there  the  Lamb  of  God  charged 
with  our  guilt  and  penalty,  and  bearing 
it  away  forever.  We  have  our  con- 
sciences purged  from  dead  works.     We 


XLbc  MoiiDrous  Cross  i5 

have  a  right  to  enter  the  holy  place 
through  His  blood.  We  stand  in  the 
presence  of  the  burning  glory  of  the 
Shekinah,  unabashed,  unashamed,  ac- 
cepted in  the  Beloved,  and  entranced 
in  the  music  of  words  that  float  as  mu- 
sic around  :  ''  There  is  no  condemnation 
to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 

T/ie  Apostle  Peter  is  deeply  sympa- 
thetic with  this  view.  He  could  not  be 
otherwise,  with  the  Hebrew  background 
of  his  life.  And  if  we  may  interpret  an 
expression  of  his  literally,  he  seems  to 
have  been  an  eye-witness  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ  (i  Pet.  v.  i).  As  though 
he  was  led  by  a  strange  fascination  to 
stand  afar  off,  and  see  the  last  sufferings 
of  Him  whom,  for  all  that  he  had  denied 
Him,  he  loved  with  all  his  heart.  He 
repeatedly   refers   to   the   sufferings   of 


16  Calvary  to  pentecogt 

Christ,  and  holds  them  up  as  our  ex- 
ample. 

But  he  develops  a  further  view.  He 
speaks  emphatically  of  our  redemption 
( I  Pet.  i.  1 8  ;  2  Pet.  ii.  i ).  In  his  thought 
each  disk  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  was  a 
coin  of  priceless  value,  purchasing  us  to 
be  His  slaves.  As  though  we  had  stood 
in  the  slave- market  of  the  world,  "  sold 
under  sin,"  but  He  came  there  with  blood 
as  His  purchase-money,  and  bought  us 
to  make  us  bond-slaves  to  Himself. 

This  conception  of  the  death  of  Christ 
commonly  follows  upon  that  already 
suggested.  We  first  look  upon  it  as  a 
sacrifice,  atoning  for  our  guilt,  and  bring- 
ing us  near  to  God ;  then  we  find  it  to 
be  a  masterful  argument  for  consecra- 
tion of  all  we  are  and  have.  We  learn 
that  we  are  not  our  own,  but  bought 


Zbc  Wion^vone  Croee  17 

with  a  price,  and  we  glorify  Him  in  our 
body  and  spirit,  which  are  His. 

Biit  the  Apostle  Paul  lays  stress  on 
yet  another  aspect  of  the  ivondrous  cross. 
We  have  already  found  there  propitia- 
tion and  consecration;  we  now  find 
identification  (Gal.  ii.  20;  Rom.  vi.  8). 
His  perpetual  thought  is,  that  as  we 
were  in  the  first  Adam  when  he  fell,  so 
we  were,  by  some  mysterious  law,  in 
Christ  when  He  died,  and  rose  and 
ascended  into  heaven.  In  Him,  our 
Ark,  we  crossed  the  waters  of  death, 
from  the  old  world,  where  sin  and  law- 
lessness were  rampant,  into  the  new 
heavens  and  earth,  in  which  dwelleth 
righteousness. 

When  He  htmg  in  dying  anguish  on 
the  cross,  we  were  there,  though  we  felt 
none  of  the  pain;  when  He  descended 


18  Calvari?  to  ipentecost 

into  the  grave,  we  passed  thither  also, 
though  we  shuddered  not  with  the  chill 
air  of  the  vault ;  when  He  arose,  we  left 
death  behind  us  forever,  and  became 
citizens  of  a  world  where  the  standards 
of  earth  are  reversed  forever,  like  reflec- 
tions in  standing  water. 

This  thrilled  the  apostle  with  ecstatic 
joy.  He  was  free  from  tJie  coiideinna- 
tion  of  the  laiv.  Its  pealing  thunder 
rolled  beneath  his  feet,  reverberating  in 
the  dark  valleys  far  below,  but  he  had 
passed  to  the  upland  lawns,  the  blue  of 
heaven  above  him,  the  sense  of  free- 
dom, jo}^,  hope,  buoyant  in  his  breast. 

He  zvas  also  free  from  the  false  stan- 
dards and  judgments  of  the  ivorld.  The 
princes  of  this  world  had*put  his  Master 
out  of  it,  as  the  Gadarenes  before  had 
driven  Him  from  their  coasts;  and  the 


^be  1KIlonDrou0  Cross  i9 

expulsion  of  the  Lord  had  been  the  ex- 
pulsion of  Plis  slave.  It  was  not  meet 
that  the  one  should  be  without  and  the 
other  within.  And  the  apostle  was 
glad  to  see  the  cross,  standing  with  out- 
stretched arms  to  forbid  all  commerce 
between  the  believer  and  the  world. 
Not  for  him  its  standards  of  failure  or 
success ;  not  for  him  its  smiles,  or  bau- 
bles, or  rewards;  not  for  him  its  amuse- 
ments or  blandishments.  He  was  cruci- 
fied to  the  world,  and  the  world  to  him, 
and  he  gloried  that  it  was  so. 

He  ivas  also  free  from  the  dominion  of 
tJie  self- life,  to  which  he  so  often  refers 
as  ''  the  flesh,"  This  had  been  his  bane, 
until  one  day  he  saw  his  self-life  nailed 
in  effigy  to  the  cross  of  Jesus  (Rom.  viii. 
4),  as  a  man  may  start  to  see  his  ugly 
features  reflected  from  a  crystal  mirror; 


20  Calvary  to  ipcntecost 

and  he  realized  that  by  the  cross  of  Jesus 
he  had  been  born  into  a  world  where  self 
in  every  form  was  under  the  curse,  and 
where  it  was  replaced  by  the  Spirit  of  love 
and  life  and  resurrection.  '*  No  longer 
after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit." 

Thus  the  Apostle  Paul  was  filled  with 
this  great  thought  of  his  close  identifi- 
cation with  the  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
by  which  he  had  passed  into  the  Eternal 
and  Unseen,  the  Infinite  and  Divine ; 
had  become  a  citizen  of  the  new  Jeru- 
salem, and  a  resident  in  the  heavenly 
places,  of  which  the  person  of  the  Lamb 
is  focus  and  center.  His  eternity  had 
commenced.  He  was  translated  that  he 
should  not  see  death.  He  had  passed 
into  a  land  with  which  the  old  life  had 
no  extradition  treaty. 

The  Apostle  John  views  the  death  of 


Ebe  llXflonDrous  Cross 


Chi'ist  as  it  affects  our  daily  ivalk 
and  conversation.  With  him  the  blood 
cleanseth  from  all  sin.  He  never  forgot 
that  he  saw  blood  and  water  come  from 
the  wounded  side ;  and  that  Jesus  came 
not  by  water  only,  but  by  water  and 
blood.  He  says  that  Jesus  washed  us 
from  our  sins  in  His  blood;  that  the 
blessed  saints  have  washed  their  robes 
and  made  them  white  in  His  blood ;  and 
that  we  have  right  to  enter  through  the 
gates  into  the  city  only  when  we  wash 
our  robes  in  the  precious  blood.  The 
robes  get  sadly  soiled  as  we  go  through 
the  various  demands  of  daily  duty  and 
the  scenes  in  which  we  have  to  earn 
our  daily  bread,  and  therefore  it  is  most 
helpful  to  learn  that  there  is  a  provision 
made  in  the  death  of  the  cross  for  daily 
purification. 


Calvary  to  ipentccost 


That  blood  never  loses  its  virtue  ;  and 
whenever,  in  our  walk  in  the  light,  we 
are  sensible  of  the  least  soil  of  evil,  we 
may  wash  and  be  clean.  Thus  we  learn 
to  walk  with  God  with  an  uncondemn- 
ing  heart.  Not  that  we  are  all  we  ought 
to  be  in  His  holy  sight.  Even  if  we  are 
kept  from  presumptuous  sin,  we  come 
short  of  His  glory  ;  but  we  are  constant- 
ly sensible  of  the  cleansing  grace  that 
purges  our  conscience  from  dead  works 
to  serve  the  living  God. 

Ah,  wondrous  cross  indeed,  in  thee 
we  find  remedy  for  all  the  ills  of  life! 
Since  thou  wast  cut  out  of  some  forest 
tree,  and  didst  bear  thy  burden  on  the 
place  of  a  skull,  guilt  and  penalty  are 
no  more ;  we  are  the  bond-slaves  of  the 
sweetest  Master.  We  have  passed  as 
in  a  new  Ark  the  waves  of  death,  and 


tTbe  "Idon^rous  Cross  23 

landed  on  resurrection  soil ;  and  we 
have  learned  the  secret  of  walking  the 
world  as  those  who  belong  to  another. 
Ah,  blessed  heavenly  ladder  by  which 
we  have  passed  into  the  eternal  and 
heavenly  sphere  I 

The  tree  cast  into  the  bitter  Marah 
waters,  which  made  them  sweet  to  the 
taste ;  the  slip  of  wood  flung  into  the 
river,  which  caused  the  iron  to  forget 
the  attraction  of  the  earth,  and  swim ; 
the  pole  on  which  the  serpent  of  brass 
was  elevated  in  the  view  of  Israel — all 
have  their  counterpart  in  the  wondrous 
cross  on  which  the  Prince  of  Glory 
died. 


II 

THE  RESURRECTION 


25 


II 

THE    RESURRECTION 

The  resurrection  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  from  the  dead  has  estabHshed 
the  behef  in  the  immortaHty  of  the  soul 
on  the  impregnable  basis  of  fact.  There 
was  a  time  when  it  was  a  matter  for 
speculation;  an  argument  founded  on 
the  analogy  of  nature  ;  an  inference  from 
the  nature  of  the  soul.  But  since  the 
gospel  of  the  resurrection  has  been  pro- 
claimed, life  and  immortality  have  been 
brought  to  light.  We  are  no  longer 
left  to  infer  that  men  may  rise  and  live 
in  the  hereafter.  It  is  enough  to  say 
that  a  Man  has  risen,  and  He  the  sec- 
ond Adam,  the  representative  Man,  the 
27 


28  Calvary  to  ipcntccost 

type  to  which  man  is  being  conformed. 
And  therefore,  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even 
so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive. 

The  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  not 
only  established  Christianity  by  putting 
the  divine  seal  on  all  that  He  had  done 
and  taught,  but  it  filled  the  world  with 
a  new  hope,  an  ecstasy  of  delight,  a 
ravishment  of  joy,  which  were  as  great 
a  contrast  to  the  sad  forebodings  of 
paganism,  and  to  the  uncertainty  of  re- 
ligious teachers,  as  the  flowers  of  May 
to  the  gloom  of  December.  We  are  so 
accustomed  to  the  assertions  of  Chris- 
tianity that  we  find  it  difficult  to  real- 
ize how  vast  was  the  transformation  it 
wrought  on  the  outlook  of  the  soul  of 
man.  Like  the  women,  it  had  been 
gazing  into  a  sepulcher ;  now  it  greeted 
the  risen  Christ  and  shared  His  life. 


XLbc  IReaurrcction 


The  New  Testament  is  therefore  full 
of  this  gladness.  The  new  wine  of  the 
kingdom  fermented  vigorously  in  the 
new  bottle-skins  that  swelled  beneath 
its  touch.  The  voice  of  Christian  song 
awoke.  The  walls  of  the  catacombs 
bear  witness  to  a  triumphant  hope  that 
laughed  at  death  and  leaped  forward  to 
embrace  the  life  that  beckoned  it.  At 
one  time  an  enthusiasm  for  martyrdom 
seized  upon  the  Church,  and  led  multi- 
tudes to  dare  the  uttermost  penalties  of 
their  foes  that  they  might  sooner  drink 
the  cup  of  immortality.  Women  and 
children,  youths  and  maidens  eagerly 
pressed  forward,  through  stake  and  wild 
beast,  to  quaff  the  water  of  life  where  it 
issues  from  the  throne  of  God. 

But  there  are  four  main  aspects  in  which 
the  resurrection  may  be  regarded: 


30  Calvary  to  ipentccoet 

First,  that  of  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 
breivs.  These  Hebrew  Christians  had 
some  reason  to  fear  that  the  reh'gion  of 
Jesus  Christ  might  be  only  a  phase  in 
the  growth  of  a  great  rehgious  system, 
and  that  it  might  pass  away,  as  the 
patriarchal  had  done  before  the  Levit- 
ical,  or  as  the  Levitical  before  Christian- 
ity. What  security  of  tenure  was  there  ? 
What  assurance  that  their  children  might 
not  have  to  relinquish  the  Church,  as 
they  had  been  called  upon  to  relinquish 
the  temple?  What  if,  after  all,  there 
were  the  element  of  transience,  the  seeds 
of  decay,  the  little  rift  of  dissolution  in 
this  system,  of  which  the  name  of  Jesus 
was  center  and  circumference,  beginning 
and  end! 

Such  thoughts  were  met  and  forever 
dissipated  by  the  argument  based  on  the 


Jibe  IResurrcctlon  3i 

resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  which 
attested  His  perpetual  existence  and 
priesthood.  Four  times  at  least  the 
words  are  repeated,  "  a  priest  forever." 
Twice  the  emphasis  is  laid  on  the  fact 
that  our  Lord's  priesthood,  unlike  that 
of  the  Levitical  priests,  is  indissoluble 
and  inviolable.  They  were  many  in 
number,  because  hindered  from  contin- 
uing by  reason  of  death ;  but  He  is  per- 
fected forevermore,  and  because  He  ever 
liveth  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost 
of  time,  as  well  as  of  space,  all  who  come 
unto  God  by  Him. 

Religious  systems  naturally  circle 
around  the  priest.  Christianity  finds  its 
center  in  Jesus.  What  He  is,  it  must 
be ;  and  since  He  is  unchangeably  the 
same,  it  can  never  be  superseded  or  pass 
away ;  it  can  never  wane  as  the  stars  of 


32  Calvary  to  Pentecost 

the  old  dispensation  did  in  the  growing 
glory  of  the  new;  it  must  abide  as  the 
one  final  revelation  of  God  to  man,  and 
the  way  by  which  man  may  enter  into 
fellowship  with  God. 

TJic  second  aspect  is  that  of  the  Apostle 
Peter.  He  is  preeminently  the  apostle 
of  hope.  He  bids  us  be  sober  and  hope 
patiently  for  the  grace  to  be  brought 
unto  us  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  makes  constant  allusion  to  the  glo- 
rious realities  of  the  unseen  and  eternal 
world,  on  which  the  Christians  of  that 
dark  time  should  set  their  thoughts. 
But  all  his  hopes  for  himself  and  his 
converts  were  built  on  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead.  He 
blesses  God  the  Father  for  having  be- 
gotten them  again  unto  a  living  hope 
by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from 


Zbc  IResurrcctlon  33 

the  dead,  unto  an  inheritance  incor- 
ruptible, undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not 
away.  The  hope  of  the  inheritance  was 
founded  on  the  empty  grave.  The  stone 
that  was  rolled  away  became  the  corner- 
stone of  the  new  temple  of  hope. 

The  traveler  in  Norway,  who  comes 
across  homes  and  hamlets  perched  on 
almost  inaccessible  heights,  or  shut  in  by 
the  mighty  rampart  of  mountain  ranges, 
will  find  no  difficulty  in  imagining  a 
community  contained  within  itself,  and 
oblivious  to  the  existence  of  a  great 
outer  world.  To  such  a  society  that 
world  might  be  a  subject  of  speculation, 
discussion,  and  argument.  The  villagers 
might  be  accustomed  to  accompany  each 
other  to  a  certain  point  on  the  mountain 
track,  when  summoned  by  an  irresistible 
impulse  to  ascend  it,  but  none  of  those 


34  Calvari?  to  ipentecost 

who  passed  that  point  ever  returnedo 
Rumors,  guesses,  ancient  legends  might 
declare  that  there  was  a  world  beyond 
the  mountain  barriers  to  which  the  road 
led,  and  where  all  who  had  departed 
were  living  a  fuller  and  richer  life  than 
before;  yet  still  the  information  within 
their  reach  would  be  mere  surmise. 
Hope  would  flicker  like  the  will-o'-the- 
wisp  over  the  marsh.  But  supposing 
that  one  of  their  number,  whom  they  had 
known,  went  along  that  path,  and  after 
being  absent  for  some  days  returned, 
and  went  often  to  and  fro,  declaring 
that  the  path  led  somewhere,  that  there 
was  a  better  world  on  the  other  side, 
and  that  they  should  meet  their  beloved 
once  more.  Do  you  not  see  what  a 
change  would  come  over  the  people's 
hopes  ?    No  longer  shadowy  and  decep- 


Zbc  IReeurrection  35 

tive,  but  strong,  clear,  sure.  An  anchor 
so  surely  fixed  as  to  bear  the  great- 
est strain.  A  light  so  clear  that  the 
shadows  of  uncertainty  must  flee  away. 
This  is  the  Apostle  Peter's  **  living 
hope." 

T/iere  is  also  the  aspect  presented  in 
the  writings  of  the  Apostle  Paid.  As  in 
respect  of  the  death,  so  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  apostle's  con- 
stant thought  is  identification.  ''  Quick- 
ened together  with  Christ  and  raised 
up  with  Him."  *'  Raised  together  with 
Christ,  seek  those  things  which  are 
above."  If  we  died  with  Christ,  we 
beheve  that  we  shall  also  live  with  Him. 
It  is  his  one  thought  that  in  the  death 
of  Jesus  he  passed  from  the  old  world 
into  the  new,  and  that  he  was  living  on 
the  shores  of  the  new  world,  the  world 


36  Calvary  to  Pentecost 

of  resurrection  and  life,  the  world  of 
which  Jesus  was  King  and  Lord. 

The  apostle,  therefore,  found  in  the 
Lord's  resurrection  the  daily  motive  and 
law  of  his  life.  He  was  always  regu- 
lating his  action  by  the  laws  of  that  new 
kingdom,  which  was  unseen  and  eternal, 
and  whose  laws  were  laid  down  by  the 
Lord  in  His  discourses  and  parables. 
This  makes  the  difference  between  the 
Christian  and  the  man  of  the  world. 
They  are  occupied  about  similar  cir- 
cumstances, but  the  latter  acts  on  the 
principles  of  this  world,  whose  motive  is 
selfishness,  and  its  aim  personal  aggran- 
dizement; while  the  former  deals  with 
every  incident  as  a  citizen  of  the  new 
Jerusalem,  and  upon  the  principles  of 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 

We  are  risen  with  Christ  in  the  thought 


XLbc  IResuirection  37 

and  purpose  of  God,  but  we  must  open 
our  natures  wide  to  the  Spirit  of  the 
resurrection,  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  He 
may  conform  us  to  the  ideal  Easter-life. 
The  exceeding  greatness  of  God's  power 
that  wrought  in  Christ,  when  He  raised 
Him  from  the  dead  to  His  own  right 
hand,  is  waiting  to  do  as  much  for  us, 
but  we  must  yield  to  it.  It  will  enter 
and  transform  our  spirits,  then  permeate 
our  souls,  and  finally,  when  the  Lord 
shall  come,  it  will  reach  and  vitalize  our 
bodies,  which  will  rise  in  the  likeness  of 
the  risen  Lord :  transformed  from  cor- 
ruption to  incorruption,  from  mortality 
to  immortal  youth. 

Lastly,  there  is  the  aspect  presented  by 
the  Apostle  John.  Before  Christ's  res- 
urrection man  thought  that  night  and 
death  were  supreme,  out   of  which  all 


38  Calvary  to  ipentecost 

things  were  born,  and  to  which  they 
went.  Life  might  be  fair  and  beautiful, 
but  it  was  evanescent.  Each  flower  fell 
before  the  inevitable  scythe,  or  faded. 
Each  day,  whatever  the  promise  of  its 
dawn,  died  on  the  edge  of  the  western 
wave.  Each  child,  however  beautiful, 
passed  through  maturity  into  death. 
And  so  they  fabled  the  Prometheus,  the 
Laocoon,  the  fall  of  Troy.  Life  was 
profoundly  sad  to  these  people,  who 
tried  to  solve  all  problems  by  their  In- 
tellect, and  imagined  that  at  death  life 
became  extinct,  like  the  torches  they  ex- 
tinguished at  the  tomb  of  their  friends. 
The  world,  they  thought,  would  become 
one  day  a  sarcophagus  of  graves,  while 
Erebus  and  Chaos  resumed  their  ancient 
sway. 

To  meet  this,  it  was  not  enough  to 


Cbc  IReeurrectfon 


affirm  that  the  Son  of  God  hved :  it  was 
needful  to  say,  also,  that  He  had  died, 
and  having  tasted  the  sharpness  of  death 
was  living  on  its  farther  side.  It  was  on 
this  that  the  Master  laid  emphasis  when 
He  said  to  the  exile  of  Patmos,  *'  Fear 
not ;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last :  and 
the  Living  One;  and  I  became  dead, 
and  behold  I  am  alive  forevermore,  and 
have  the  keys  of  death  and  of  Hades." 
The  Son  of  God  entered  the  lists 
with  Death  to  try  the  question  as  to 
which  should  be  the  reigning  power 
in  the  universe,  whether  life  or  death, 
light  or  darkness,  corruption  or  immor- 
tal strength  and  beauty.  They  grappled 
for  mastery,  each  with  the  other,  in  the 
wilderness,  on  the  cross,  and  in  the  grave. 
At  first  Death  seemed  victor.  He  ap- 
peared to  triumph  over  the  one  Man, 


40  Calvaris  to  ipentecost 

as  over  all  other  men.  The  Prince  of 
Life  was  slain.  The  hour  and  power 
of  darkness  vaunted  their  supremacy. 
And  Chaos  seemed  about  to  spoil  the 
palace  of  Life.  But  it  was  only  for  a 
moment.  It  was  not  possible  that  Christ 
should  see  corruption  or  be  holden  of 
death.  Life  broke  from  the  sheath  and 
hush  of  death  into  the  rapture  of  the 
Easter  morn.  Death  was  robbed  of  its 
sting,  the  grave  of  its  victory,  and  the 
lord  of  death  of  his  power  to  terrify. 

As  the  blessed  Lord  emerged  from 
the  empty  tomb,  leaving  behind  Him  the 
adjusted  cerements  of  death,  stepping 
forth  into  a  garden  where  the  spring 
flowers  exhaled  their  rarest  fragrance, 
it  was  forever  established  that  life  was 
stronger  than  death,  light  than  dark- 
ness, truth  than  lies,  God  than  sin. 


tTbe  H^esurrcction  41 

In  His  life  and  death  and  resur- 
rection the  Lord  Jesus  has  revealed  a 
life  which  is  stronger  than  death  and 
hell,  and  which  holds  them  in  its  thrall, 
locking  and  unlocking  them  at  will. 
This  life  He  waits  to  give.  He  binds  it 
as  a  victor's  wreath  about  the  brows  of 
them  that  overcome.  He  carries  it  with 
Him  as  He  rides  forth,  conquering  and 
to  conquer,  until  grace  reigns  through 
righteousness  unto  eternal  life. 

So  utterly  subordinate  to  Christ  are 
death  and  Hades  that  He  is  said  to 
hold  their  keys.  From  the  jailer  He 
wrenched  them,  and  He  keeps  them. 
In  a  sense  they  exist,  but  the  one  is  His 
slave,  and  the  other  the  vestibule  of  His 
palace.  They  serve  His  purpose.  They 
do  His  will.  If  He  opens  the  door, 
neither   the   hand   of  love,  nor  that  of 


42  Calvari?  to  ipentccost 

skill,  can  shut  it.  If  He  shuts,  all  the 
hatred  of  men  or  demons  cannot  force 
it  open.  The  life  of  Jesus,  which  He 
has  and  gives,  is  not  only  impervious  to 
all  noxious  influences,  but  has  acquired 
the  mastery  of  them,  which  it  holds  for- 
evermore. 

Such  are  the  main  aspects  in  which 
the  sacred  writers  view  the  resurrec- 
tion. Let  us  put  their  chalice  to  our  lips 
and  share  its  exhilarating  joy.  **  Awake 
and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the  du.st." 
Far  up  the  heights,  Hsten  to  the  call  of 
Life,  bidding  us  arise  and  be  gone.  Let 
us  leave  behind  the  clinging  mists  of 
the  valley,  over  which  death  has  cast  its 
shadow,  and  stand  on  the  uplands  where 
the  sons  of  the  resurrection  live  in  a 
light  that  never  dims,  and  amid  joys 
which  are  never  old. 


XLbc  lRe6urrectton  43 

Let  us  live  as  the  sons  of  the  resur- 
rection. "  You  will  never  see  me  die," 
a  veteran  Christian  was  wont  to  say  to 
his  children;  **  I  shall  only  fall  asleep." 
And  so  it  befell.  By  faith  Enoch  was 
translated  that  he  should  not  see  death. 
Let  us  claim  our  privilege  in  the  risen 
Lord.  It  is  appointed  unto  men  o/ice  to 
die.  We  have  died  once  in  Him ;  and 
now  let  us  venture  all  on  His  own  sweet 
word :  *'  He  that  liveth  and  believeth  in 
Me  shall  never  die." 


Ill 

ASCENSION    DAY 


45 


Ill 

ASCENSION   DAY 

Because  this  great  anniversary  nec- 
essarily falls  on  another  day  than  the 
Lord's  Day,  it  attracts  less  attention 
than  Easter  or  Whitsuntide,  but  it  is  not 
less  momentous  than  either.  In  some 
senses  it  is  the  crown  of  the  year.  The 
mystery  of  the  holy  incarnation,  the 
agony  and  passion,  the  festal  joy  of 
Easter  would  all  lose  their  significance 
and  power  were  it  not  that  they  led  up 
to  the  ascension. 

That   scene   on    Olivet  is  always   an 

attractive    one.       The    early    morning, 

when  as  yet  the  peasants  had  not  begun 

to  pass   along  the   mountain  track  on 

47 


48  Calvary  to  ipcntecoet 

their  way  with  market  produce  to  Jeru- 
salem ;  the  sun  rising  behind  the  moun- 
tains of  Moab,  and  bathing  with  gold 
some  fleecy  clouds,  waiting  like  chariots 
drawn  up  to  receive  their  King  ;  the  vil- 
lages of  Bethany  and  Bethphage  within 
sight,  and  perhaps  sending  up  one  or 
two  ardent  lovers  of  Christ,  who  had 
been  previously  invited  to  join  the  little 
group  gathering  at  the  appointed  ren- 
dezvous. Then  the  gracious  Lord,  never 
more  tender  than  then,  giving  His  last 
instructions,  speaking  the  final  commis- 
sion, and, assuring  His  followers  of  His 
unfailing  presence.  Now  His  hands  are 
extended  over  them  in  blessing ;  and  as 
His  benediction  falls  on  them  as  dew, 
He  yields  Himself  to  the  attraction  of 
His  native  home,  and  begins  to  ascend. 
Put  those  words  of  grace  still  flow  from 


Bscension  Da^  49 

His  lips,  and  those  hands  are  still  out- 
stretched in  blessing,  until  the  cloud 
envelops  Him,  as  though  it  were  the 
curtain  that  hung  before  the  portal  of 
the  true  temple  that  God  pitched,  and 
not  man. 

The  ascension  could  not  have  been 
invented.  Even  supposing  (a  supposi- 
tion which  cannot  be  entertained  for  a 
moment)  that  the  course  of  Christ's  his- 
tory could  have  been  wrought  out  from 
the  imagination  of  an  idealist,  it  would 
not  have  entered  his  thought  to  add  the 
marvels  of  ascension  to  those  of  resur- 
rection. Had  he  been  able  to  conduct 
his  story  through  the  anguish  of  Calvary 
to  the  wonders  of  the  Easter  morning, 
he  would  have  stayed  his  hand  there. 
He  could  not  have  conceived  another 
climax  beyond.    He  could  not  have  ven- 


50  Calvary  to  ipcntecost 

tured  on  a  farther  apotheosis.  Or  even 
if  he  had  felt  the  necessity  of  depicting 
a  farewell  scene  between  Christ  and  His 
disciples,  it  must  have  been  fashioned 
on  the  model  of  the  translation  of  an 
Elijah,  or  the  death- sleep  of  a  Moses, 
within  view  of  the  assembled  people. 
No  mind  could  have  invented  anything 
so  majestic  and  so  unobtrusive,  so  sub- 
lime and  yet  so  touching,  as  the  ascen- 
sion. In  conception  it  stands  alone  for 
beauty  and  impressiveness  in  the  entire 
range  of  Scripture. 

It  was  the  realisation  of  God's  origi- 
nal design  for  uian.  "  Have  thou  do- 
minion," God  said  to  Adam.  Man  was 
meant  to  be  the  vicegerent  of  the  Cre- 
ator, exercising  undisputed  sovereignty 
over  the  fish  of  the  sea  and  over  the 
fowl  of  the  air,  over  the  cattle  and  over 


B0ccn6fon  2)as  5i 

the  earth.  David  says  he  was  *'  made 
to  have  dominion ;  and  that  all  things 
were  put  under  his  feet." 

But  that  crown  of  supremacy  was 
rolled  from  his  head  into  the  dust;  he 
yielded  to  the  temptation  of  Satan,  and 
became  his  thrall ;  and  the  right  of  do- 
minion passed  from  his  hand  to  him  who 
had  shown  the  supremacy  of  his  fallen 
nature  over  that  human  nature  which 
had  come  fresh  from  God.  Therefore, 
says  the  sacred  writer  sadly,  we  see 
**  not  yet  all  things  put  under  him." 

Nature,  indeed,  seems  in  arms  against 
man.  Her  storms  shatter  his  mightiest 
buildings,  her  oceans  engulf  his  Arma- 
das, her  frost  and  heat  defy  him,  her 
creatures  resist  his  yoke.  And  beneath 
her  multiform  machinery  we  are  con- 
scious of  malevolent  influences  that  turn 


Calvary  to  ipcntecost 


the  winds  and  tides  and  seasons  and 
other  natural  forces  against  us. 

But  when  Jesus  ascended,  in  Him,  as 
the  ideal  Man  at  least,  this  was  reversed. 
All  things  were  put  under  His  feet.  He 
was  raised  to  the  loftiest  pinnacle  of 
power  that  the  universe  could  offer,  not 
as  God  but  as  Man.  And  thenceforward 
it  was  only  a  question  of  time  when  all 
that  was  true  of  Him  should  be  accom- 
plished in  the  experience  and  realization 
of  His  brethren. 

//  zvas  the  Jiarbinger  of  the  final  over- 
tJiroiv  of  Satan.  In  one  of  his  grandest 
paragraphs  the  Apostle  Paul  tells  how, 
in  the  ascension,  our  Lord  was  raised 
far  above  all  rule  and  authority  and 
power;  phrases  which,  in  another  well- 
known  passage,  he  uses  of  the  wicked 
spirits   in   the   heavenlies.      In   another 


Ascension  Da^  53 

place  he  describes  Christ  as  leading  cap- 
tivity captive,  as  though  the  world  and 
Hades,  death  and  Satan,  were  dragged 
behind  His  triumphal  chariot  like  fet- 
tered slaves. 

It  may  be,  therefore,  that  beyond  that 
cloud  hell  made  one  last  stand.  There 
was  no  controversy  about  the  suprem- 
acy of  Christ  as  God  ;  even  Satan  would 
not  have  been  so  mad  as  to  contest 
His  right  to  return  to  His  throne.  But 
the  battle  broke  out  as  to  His  right 
to  take  our  human  nature  with  Him. 
From  the  Fall  the  devil-power  had  been 
supreme.  Man  had  owned  Satan's  mas- 
tership, doing  his  behest.  This  power 
he  was  loath  to  surrender.  And  he 
never  would  have  surrendered  it  had 
not  Christ  wrenched  it  from  his  grasp, 
in   the    hour   of   His   ascension,    which 


54  Calvary  to  ipentecost 

secured  his  overthrow  and  established 
forever  that  man  in  Christ  is  stronger 
than  the  devil,  and  that  the  doom  of 
Satan's  empire  is  certain  and  inevitable. 

Let  us  not  be  afraid  of  Satan.  We 
may  be  but  as  atoms  in  the  feet  of 
Christ,  but  even  then  we  are  above  the 
devil,  for  it  is  written  that  God  has  put 
all  things  under  His  feet.  Let  us  not 
look  up  at  Satan  from  below,  but  de- 
scend on  him  from  above.  He  matched 
his  power  against  Christ  and  failed,  and 
he  will  fare  similarly  in  conflict  with  all 
those  in  whom  Christ  dwells.  **  Thou 
shalt  tread  on  the  lion  and  adder:  the 
young  lion  and  dragon  thou  shalt  tram- 
ple under  foot." 

It  zuas  the  entrance  of  onr  High  Priest 
into  the  most  holy  place.  '*  He  passed 
into  the  heavens,"  said  the  older  ver- 


Bscension  5)ag  55 

sion.  *'  He  passed  through  the  heavens" 
is  the  correcter  rendering  of  the  Revised 
Version  (Heb.  iv.  14).  As  the  high 
priest  of  old  passed  from  the  view  of 
the  people,  bearing  the  blood  of  atone- 
ment in  his  hand,  so  did  Jesus  pass  from 
the  brazen  altar  of  the  cross  to  become 
our  representative  within  the  veil,  a 
minister  of  holy  things,  and  of  the  true 
tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and 
not  man.  '*  Christ  entered  into  heaven 
itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  us."  The  high  priest  entereth 
into  the  holy  place  year  by  year,  with 
blood  not  his  own ;  but  Christ  entered 
once  for  all,  bearing  His  own  blood,  in 
the  marks  of  Calvary  in  hands  and  side, 
as  of  a  lamb  that  had  been  slain. 

No  trembling  soul  need  now  fear  to 
draw  nigh.     Christ  has  dedicated  a  new 


56  Calvary  to  ipentecost 

and  living  way  into  the  holy  place.  The 
veil  has  been  rent  in  twain  from  the  top 
to  the  bottom.  Sin  itself  need  not  make 
us  hesitate,  because  the  blood  speaks  in 
the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  we  have  a 
great  high  priest  over  the  house  of  God. 

It  zvas  the  occasion  of  receiving  great 
and precioiLS  gifts.  When  He  ascended 
up  on  high,  He  not  only  led  captivity 
captive,  but  He  received  gifts  for  men. 
In  His  own  wonderful  being  as  Man  the 
Spirit  had  resided  since  His  birth ;  but 
now,  as  the  representative  Man,  He  ob- 
tained from  the  Father  the  special  power 
to  receive  and  presently  bestow  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  such  other  gifts  as  His  Church 
needed  to  equip  her  for  her  struggle  with 
the  world. 

Each  one  of  us  shared  in  that  glorious 
bestowment.     "  Unto  each  of  us  was  the 


Bscensfon  2)a^  57 

grace  given,  according  to  the  measure  of 
the  gift  of  Christ."  We  may  not  have 
claimed  our  share.  We  may  not  have 
asked  that  tlie  portion  of  goods  should 
be  transferred  to  us.  We  may  not  have 
participated  in  the  gifts  of  the  Pente- 
costal age.  But  they  are  nevertheless 
ours,  waiting  for  us  in  the  hands  of  the 
risen  Lord,  just  as  pardon  and  redemp- 
tion once  waited  before  we  came  to  the 
cross  in  the  exercise  of  faith. 

The  ascended  Christ  waits  to  bestow 
the  gifts  of  His  ascension  on  those  who 
believe.  Whatever  you  lack  as  evan- 
gelist, pastor,  or  teacher,  you  will  find 
in  Him.  But  it  is  the  profoundest  of 
all  mistakes  to  attempt  to  work  for  Him 
or  for  men  in  the  present  age  without 
being  equipped  with  those  special  quali- 
fications He  waits  to  impart. 


58  Calvary  to  ipentccost 

The  ascension  points  our  thoughts 
upward  along  the  same  track.  We  look 
for  a  Saviour.  This  same  Jesus  shall  so 
come  in  like  manner.  By  the  way  He 
went,  He  will  return.  The  days  are 
fast  approaching  when  that  pathway 
will  glow  again  with  glory  as  He  hastens 
to  receive  His  Bride  to  Himself;  and 
then  from  sea  and  earth  His  saints  will 
go  to  meet  Him,  caught  up  as  He  was 
caught  up,  blessing  the  world  as  they 
leave  it,  but  above  all  eager  to  see  Him 
as  He  is,  and  be  forever  with  the  Lord. 
Till  then  let  us  live  the  ascension  life ! 

"  Chains  of  my  heart,  avaunt,  I  say! 
I  will  arise,  and  in  the  strength  of  love 
Pursue  my  Saviour's  pathway  to  His  home  above." 


IV  { 

j 
CHRIST   IN   YOU   THE   HOPE  ' 


59 


IV 

CHRIST  IN  YOU  THE  HOPE 

It  is  meet  that  the  chief  Christian 
temple  in  the  greatest  Gentile  city  should 
be  dedicated  to  the  Apostle  Paul,  be- 
cause it  is  to  him  that  we  Gentiles  owe 
our  knowledge  of  two  of  the  deepest 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

T lie  first  of  these  mysteries  is  unfolded 
in  EpJiesians  Hi. — that  the  Gentiles  are 
"  fellow-heirs  and  fellow-members  of  the 
body  and  fellow-partakers  of  the  prom- 
ise in  Christ  Jesus."  It  was  the  cher- 
ished hope  of  those  who  held  closely  by 
the  traditions  of  the  Mosaic  law  that 
they  could  turn  the  new  wine  of  the 
61 


62  Calvary  to  ipentecost 

kingdom  into  their  old  and  broken  bot- 
tle-skins, and  fill  the  Jewish  temple  by 
making  it  the  vestibule  of  the  Christian 
Church.  It  was  to  oppose  this  idea 
that  the  apostle  spent  a  life  of  priva- 
tion, persecution,  and  incessant  suffer- 
ing. He  saw  clearly  enough  that  a  new 
spirit  was  working  among  men  which 
could  not  be  confined  within  the  re- 
straints of  a  material  and  typical  sys- 
tem. In  season  and  out  of  season  he 
protested  that  the  Church  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  was  a  new  entity  in  the 
world,  that  the  one  condition  of  entrance 
was  faith,  that  there  was  no  preference 
given  to  the  Jew  over  the  Gentile,  that 
in  Christ  Jesus  was  neither  Jew  nor 
Greek,  and  that  its  gates  stood  wide 
open  without  partiality  to  all  who  found 
in   Christ   an   asylum   from   the  storm, 


Cbrist  in  ^on  the  1bope  g3 

satisfaction  for  the  heart,  government 
for  the  will. 

T/ie  second  of  these  two  mysteries  is 
disclosed  in  Colossians  /.,  and  is  perhaps 
the  more  wonderful.  As  the  apostle 
fulfilled  his  stewardship  for  us  Gentiles, 
his  own  mind  was  filled  with  wonder 
and  rapture  at  the  transcendent  glory 
of  the  secret  that  he  was  commissioned 
to  tell ;  and  surely  his  face,  as  he  dic- 
tated the  burning  words,  must  have 
been  suffused  with  heavenly  light,  as 
though  it  had  caught  the  glow  of  the 
sunrise. 

The  immanence  or  indwelling  of  Christ 
is  the  characteristic  fact  of  Christianity. 
Our  Lord  became  incarnate,  died,  and 
rose  again  that  we  might  become  His 
home  and  temple.  Christianity  is  not 
a  creed,  but  a  life ;  not  a  theology  or  a 


64  Calvary  to  ipcntecost 

ritual,  but  the  possession  of  the  spirit  of 
man  by  the  Eternal  Spirit  of  the  living 
Christ.  A  man  may  have  all  else,  be 
orthodox  in  creed,  correct  in  practice, 
observant  of  forms  of  worship,  but  if  he 
lack  the  divine  life  he  has  not  yet  seen 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  In  regenera- 
tion the  living  Saviour  actually  becomes 
the  tenant  of  the  regenerated  nature; 
and  as  the  life  of  the  animal  is  superior 
to  that  of  the  plant,  and  the  moral  and 
mental  life  of  man  superior  to  that  of  the 
animal,  so  the  life  born  in  the  Christian 
soul  distinguishes  its  possessor  from  all 
other  men.  The  first  man  Adam  was 
made  a  living  soul,  the  last  Adam  a 
quickening  Spirit. 

The  reason  why  the  indwelling  of 
Christ  is  so  little  recognized  by  the 
majority  of  Christian  people  arises  from 


Cbrfst  in  l^ou  tbe  1bope  65 

the  inwardness  of  its  shrine.  Below  the 
senses,  keen  to  appreciate  every  change 
in  the  world  around ;  below  the  tastes 
and  preferences,  the  fears  and  hopes, 
the  resolutions  and  desires  which  char- 
acterize the  soul-life ;  below  our  self- 
consciousness,  self-energy,  and  all  that 
goes  to  make  up  our  individuality ;  in 
the  depths  of  the  spirit,  the  part  of  our 
nature  in  which  we  touch  God  most 
closely,  the  holy  of  hoHes  of  our  being, 
Christ  finds  His  residence  and  comes  to 
dwell. 

Are  we  not  conscious  at  times  of  up- 
rising thoughts  that  defy  speech,  of 
hopes  that  overleap  the  narrow  horizon 
of  our  life,  of  yearnings  and  impulses 
and  inspirations  that  surge  up  from  in- 
ner depths?  All  these  witness  to  the 
existence    of    that    marvelous    capacity 


Calvary  to  ipcntecost 


for  God  which  characterizes  the  spirit 
of  man ;  and  it  is  there,  in  the  innermost 
depths  of  our  being,  that  the  living 
Christ  enshrines  and  hides  Himself. 

It  is  not  wonderful,  then,  that,  with  all 
our  searching,  we  cannot  find  Him  out. 
He  enters  like  the  gentle  zephyr.  We 
can  detect  no  footfall  in  the  passage  or 
on  the  stair ;  we  cannot  discern  what  He 
is  doing  any  more  than  we  can  follow 
the  workings  ©f  nature  in  the  roots  of 
the  trees  in  spring;  and  because  His 
presence  will  yield  to  no  test  that  our 
senses  can  devise,  we  are  apt  to  think  it 
is  not  there,  and  to  suppose  that  it  can- 
not be  for  us  to  say  with  Paul,  "  Christ 
is  in  us — in  me,  the  hope  of  glory." 

We  must  therefore  avail  ourselves  of 
that  wonderful  faculty  of  faith  which  is 
the  key  to  all  Christian  living  and  alone 


Cbrist  in  l^ou  tbe  fbope  07 

can  give  us  the  assurance  of  things 
hoped  for,  the  test  of  things  not  seen. 
Faith  does  for  the  spirit  what  the  senses 
do  in  our  natural  hfe.  As  eye  and  ear 
and  touch  reveal  the  presence  of  those 
we  love,  so  faith  is  eye  and  ear  and 
touch  to  the  spirit.  She  sees  Christ, 
touches  the  robes  in  which  He  veils 
Himself,  hears  the  golden  bells  that 
ring  at  every  movement  of  His  feet ; 
and  raising  her  voice  with  unhesitating 
certainty,  assures  us  that  He  is  present ; 
as  much  so  as  though  there  were  no 
heaven  for  Him  to  fill,  or  myriads  of 
spirits  waiting  to  draw  their  all  from 
Him,  as  the  flowers  beside  the  brimming 
stream  fill  their  cups  from  its  tides. 

It  is  well,  therefore,  by  faith  to  reckon 
that  this  is  so.  Let  us  often  say  aloud, 
**  Christ  is  within;  God  is  here."      Let 


68  CalvarB  to  ipcntecost 

us  reverently  enter  the  shrine  of  our  in- 
ner hfe,  and  commune  with  Him  there. 
Let  us  beheve  that  He  waits  within  us  to 
be  at  any  moment  just  that  which  we 
need  most:  patient  in  the  impatient; 
cahn  in  the  restless ;  strong  in  the  weak ; 
wise  in  the  ignorant;  loving  in  the  un- 
forgiving. But  let  us  fear  above  all  the 
energy  and  assertion  of  our  selfhood,  so 
constantly  arrogating  to  itself  impor- 
tance, and  rushing  forth  through  all  the 
avenues  of  our  life. 

It  is  only  as  we  die  to  the  world 
around  us,  and  to  the  self-life  within  us, 
that  we  realize  the  glory  of  this  mys- 
tery. If  we  were  more  tranquil  in  our 
behavior,  quiet  in  our  movements,  self- 
possessed,  willing  to  wait  only  upon 
God,  pausing  before  answering,  lifting 
up  our  hearts  before  opening  our  letters, 


Cbri6t  in  lou  tbe  1bope  69 

seeking  direction  before  making  engage- 
ments or  forming  plans,  we  should  be 
conscious  of  the  rising  up  within  us  of 
another  life  than  our  own,  a  purer, 
stronger,  richer  life,  reproducing  some- 
thing of  the  glorious  Hfe  He  lived  once 
among  men. 

What  a  glory  the  knowledge  of  this 
secret  will  bring  into  face  and  life  !  The 
orchid  root  breaks  into  the  glory  of  the 
flower;  the  light  ray  is  unraveled  in  the 
hues  of  the  rainbow ;  the  Christ  was 
manifested  in  the  glory  of  the  trans- 
figuration, and  His  secret  indwelling 
reveals  itself  in  a  glory  that  never  shone 
upon  sea  or  shore. 

This  mystery  also  enriches  our  lives : 
"  the  ricJies  of  tJie  glory  of  this  mys- 
tery; "  that  is,  the  man  who  enters  into 
its  realization  becomes  sensible  that  he 


70  Calvarg  to  ipentecost 

can  meet  the  demands  of  his  life  with 
a  wealth  of  resource,  an  exuberance  of 
energy,  with  a  glow  of  enthusiasm  which 
had  been  previously  foreign  to  him.  It 
was  the  knowledge  of  this  that  made 
the  martyrs  glory  in  the  fires,  and  has 
made  it  possible  for  the  weakest  and 
poorest  of  mankind  to  enrich  the  world 
with  thoughts  and  words  that  can  never 
die. 

It  is  much  to  have  a  rich  environment 
from  which  to  extract  the  nutriment  our 
natures  need ;  but  it  is  more  to  possess 
the  indwelling  of  Christ,  in  whom  all 
the  fulness  of  God  dwells,  and  to  feel  it 
rising  up  in  us  night  and  day,  and  only 
asking  us  to  cease  from  our  own  works, 
that  He  may  be  ail  in  all. 


SPIRITUAL    ENVIRONMENT 


V 

SPIRITUAL  ENVIRONMENT 

Twenty  years  ago  the  word  environ- 
ment was  rarely  used.  It  might  occur 
in  scientific  treatises,  but  it  was  ahiiost 
wholly  unfamiliar  to  readers  of  maga- 
zines and  newspapers.  Now  it  is  im- 
possible to  escape  it.  It  is  the  stock 
phrase  with  the  social  reformer,  the  es- 
sayist, the  religious  teacher.  It  is  per- 
petually in  vogue. 

And  this  is  due  to  the  fact  that  we 
have  come  to  see  the  immense  impor- 
tance of  environment  for  healthy  life. 
There  may  be  a  perfect  and  vigorous 
germ,  but  if  the  circumstances  of  its 
73 


Calvarg  to  jpentecost 


growth  are  not  propitious  it  will  in- 
evitably droop  and  die.  Take,  for  in- 
stance, the  child  of  healthy  parents, 
all  whose  vital  organs  are  perfectly 
formed  :  if  it  lack  proper  nourishment,  if 
it  be  reared  in  sunless  or  fetid  atmo- 
sphere, if  the  water  be  tainted  and  its 
conditions  uncleanly,  these  things  will 
go  far  to  destroy  the  advantages  of  its 
parentage,  and  to  make  the  tiny  flame 
flicker  ominously  in  its  socket. 

A  perfect  peach-blossom  may  nestle 
in  dehcate  beauty  on  the  bough  of  a 
healthy  and  prolific  tree,  but  it  requires 
a  sunny  and  propitious  atmosphere,  full 
of  morning  dews,  and  nights  of  warm 
rain,  and  days  of  radiant  sunlight,  before 
it  can  weave  the  luscious,  thirst-quench- 
ing fruit. 

And   it   is   so   with   the   fruit  of  the 


Spiritual  jenvironmcnt 


Spirit — the  produce  of  our  life — so  rare 
that  the  Father  will  intrust  its  culture  to 
no  other  husbandman.  It  is  not  enough 
that  we  have  been  born  again  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  become  partakers  of 
the  divine  nature;  we  must  be  careful 
of  our  environment,  or  we  shall  miss 
the  crown  and  blossom  of  our  life,  to 
secure  which  the  Son  of  God  died  on 
the  cross. 

But  what  environment  could  we  have 
better  than  is  around  us  always?  We 
sometimes  wish  that  we  had  been  priv- 
ileged to  be  present  in  the  upper  room 
when  the  air  was  stirred  with  the  advent 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  this  is  still  the 
age  of  Pentecost,  and  He  is  as  certainly 
present  with  the  Church  and  the  indi- 
vidual as  He  was  when  He  crowned  each 
meek  brow  with  fire. 


76  Calvary  to  ipcntccogt 

We  think  that  to  have  been  beside 
the  Apostle  Paul  when  he  wrote  the 
eighth  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Ro- 
mans, or  beside  Peter  when  he  opened 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  the  Gentiles, 
or  beside  John  when  in  Patmos,  girt  by 
the  blue  ^gean,  he  beheld  heaven's 
opened  door,  would  have  necessarily 
done  for  us  what  in  these  degenerate 
days  we  have  no  right  to  expect. 

It  is  more  than  probable,  however, 
that  we  might  have  had  these  coveted 
positions  and  seen  nothing,  heard  noth- 
ing, felt  nothing,  of  the  spiritual  glories 
that  were  unfolded  to  the  enraptured 
vision  of  these  favored  souls;  while  if 
they  were  now  to  share  our  life,  to  walk 
beside  us  in  our  streets,  sit  beside  us  in 
our  public  conveyances,  and  live  beside 
us  in   our   homes,  it  is   almost   certain 


Spiritual  Environment 


that  they  would  discern  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  the  realities  of  the 
eternal  world,  with  as  much  precision 
as  they  did  in  the  old  days,  rapidly 
receding  across  the  ocean  of  the  cen- 
turies. 

The  Spirit  of  God  is  with  the  Church. 
Every  day  may  be  to  her  a  day  of  Pen- 
tecost. The  living  Christ  is  here  amid 
the  golden  candlesticks.  There  is  as 
much  of  God  in  the  place  where  these 
words  are  being  read  as  in  heaven  itself. 
It  is  not  needful  to  go  back  into  the 
past  or  forward  into  the  "future  to  find 
Him — He  is  here.  All  around  us  is  the 
blessed  atmosphere  of  the  eternal  and 
spiritual.  It  is  a  mistake  to  sigh  for 
anything  more  than  this.  Whatever  is 
needed  for  the  nurture  of  a  noble,  use- 
ful, and  blessed  life  is  as  near  us  as  the 


78  Calvari?  to  pcntccost 

ocean  to  the  scale  of  the  fish,  or  the 
sunbeams  to  the  gorgeous  plumage  of 
the  humming-bird. 

But  something  more  is  necessary. 
The  environment  of  peach  or  animal 
or  child  may  be  all  that  could  be  de- 
sired for  its  nurture  and  beauty,  but  the 
organism  itself  must  have  the  faculty  of 
extracting  and  absorbing  the  qualities  it 
needs.  Of  what  use  are  sunbeams  and 
dewdrops,  if  the  peach-blossoms  cannot 
transmute  them  into  the  fruit  which 
exists  only  in  rudimentary  form?  Of 
what  avail  the  rich  provisions  that  strew 
the  ground,  if  the  infant's  digestion  can- 
not avail  itself  of  their  nutriment?  And 
so  we  must  do  more  than  live  in  the 
greatest  age  that  has  ever  passed  over 
our  world.  We  must  recognize  it,  and 
be  glad  of  it^  and  appropriate  its  trea- 


Spiritual  ;6nv>(ronment 


sures,  weaving  them  into  the  fabric  of 
our  soul,  the  structure  of  our  hfe. 

This  is  where  so  many  of  us  fail.  It 
is  not  that  our  age  is  degenerate,  and 
our  opportunities  mean  and  poor,  but 
that  we  do  not  know  how  to  use  our  en- 
vironment, extracting  from  it  its  price- 
less gifts,  and  assimilating  them  in  the 
inner  man. 

There  is  as  much  electricity  among 
the  degraded  Hottentots  as  in  London, 
but  it  is  of  no  avail  to  them,  since  they 
know  not  how  to  beckon  it  from  the 
clouds  and  yoke  it  to  their  chariots. 
Probably  there  are  forces  throbbing 
around  us  of  which  Christ  availed  Him- 
self in  the  working  of  His  miracles,  but 
of  which  we  know  nothing.  They  are 
within  our  reach,  but  they  do  not  help 
us,  because  we  do  not  recognize  them ; 


80  Calvary  to  Pentecost 

or  even  if  we  were  aware  of  their  exis- 
tence, we  should  not  know  how  to  catch 
and  tame  and  use  them.  So  the  might- 
iest forces  of  the  spiritual  world  are  nigh 
us,  even  in  our  mouth  and  heart,  but  the 
method  of  appropriating  their  blessed 
properties  is  largely  a  lost  one  to  the 
Church. 

It  is  we  who  require  changing,  not 
our  environment.  Like  Jacob,  we  must 
be  still  and  sleep,  that  we  may  see  the 
shining  ladders  linking  our  mean  lives 
with  heaven,  while  angels  go  to  and  fro. 
Like  the  two  disciples,  we  must  share 
our  slender  meal  with  the  stranger  at 
the  village  inn,  that  the  scales  miay  fall 
from  our  eyes,  and  we  see  the  Lord  be- 
side us.  Moreover,  we  need  grace  to 
appropriate. 

It  is  instructive  to  notice  how  each 


Spiritual  jenvironment  8i 

living  thing  takes  from  the  sunbeam 
what  it  wants — one  its  aroma,  another 
its  color,  a  third  its  luscious  taste.  So 
should  we  extract  from  Christ  what- 
ever we  require  to  complete  our  char- 
acter. The  short-tempered  must  take 
patience;  the  passionate,  purity;  the 
cowardly,  moral  strength ;  the  domi- 
neering, patience ;  the  downcast,  com- 
fort. We  must  not  simply  pray  for 
them,  but  take  them.  This  holy  bold- 
ness is  our  right.  We  know  that  what- 
soever we  ask,  which  is  guaranteed  by 
any  promise  of  God,  we  receive  of  Him, 
not  in  some  distant  time  or  place,  but 
here  and  now;  and  we  may  so  surely 
reckon  that  we  have  received  as  to  be 
warranted  in  going  fortli  and  acting  on 
the  assumption  that  there  has  been  a 
real  accession  of  grace  to  our  soul,  ena- 


82  Calvary  to  ipentccost 

bling  us  to  do  what  before  would  have 
been  utterly  beyond  our  power. 

Let  us  not  then  sigh  for  the  lost  age 
of  gold,  since  the  King  of  all  ages  is 
here.  Let  us  not  blame  our  circum- 
stances or  surroundings,  which  the  great 
Husbandman  has  arranged  with  the  most 
careful  consideration  of  what  would  best 
promote  our  welfare.  Let  us  receive  as 
well  as  ask,  take  as  well  as  entreat,  use 
what  we  know  God  has  given,  in  the 
absence  of  any  rapturous  emotion,  and 
only  knowing  that  He  is  faithful  and 
cannot  disappoint  the  trustful  soul. 

In  brief,  let  us  abide  in  Christ ;  let  us 
keep  ourselves  in  the  love  of  God ;  let 
us  carefully  derive  from  the  "all  things" 
which  God  has  given  us,  as  profitable 
for  life  and  godliness,  the  whole  wealth 


Spiritual  ^Environment  83 

of  helpfulness  that  we   need,  and  that 
they  were  intended  to  convey. 

Thus,  in  a  deeper  sense  than  is  some- 
times realized,  *'  All  things  are  yours ; 
whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas, 
or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things 
present,  or  things  to  come ;  all  are  yours, 
and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's." 


VI 

THE  EXORCISM  OF   SELF 


85 


VI 

THE  EXORCISM  OF  SELF 

Self  is  the  pivot  around  which  the 
natural  man  revolves.  It  is  the  essen- 
tial principle  of  every  sin,  and  has  been 
ever  sirLce  that  first  sin,  in  which  Adam 
preferred  what  was  pleasant  to  the  eyes, 
and  good  for  food,  and  calculated  to 
make  him  wise,  to  the  will  and  word  of 
God.  Sin  is  the  assertion  of  self.  The 
sensualist  asserts  that  the  indulgence  of 
his  passion  must  take  precedence  of  his 
duty  to  God  and  his  reverence  for  the 
nature  God  has  made.  The  oppressor 
asserts  that  the  sufferings  of  his  victims 
are  as  the  small  dust  of  the  scale  if 
only   his    coffers   are   filled,    his   power 


88  Calvarg  to  ipicntecost 

augmented.  The  liar  asserts  that  it  is 
more  important  for  his  credit  to  be  pre- 
served than  that  truth  should  be  para- 
mount in  the  world  around.  Beneath 
the  purple  of  the  emperor,  the  ermine 
of  the  judge,  the  cowl  of  the  monk,  the 
broadcloth  of  the  business  man,  the  fus- 
tian of  the  peasant,  self- worship  has  been 
the  mainspring  of  human  activity  and 
crime. 

At  our  conversion  a  strong  blow  is 
struck  at  the  dominion  of  self.  We  have 
to  be  saved  altogether  by  the  grace  of 
God,  and  for  the  merits  of  Another.  Our 
own  efforts  are  proved  to  be  useless 
and  worse.  Our  prayers  and  tears  and 
righteousness  become  hindrances  rather 
than  helps.  Absolute  bankrupts,  we 
have  nothing  to  pay.  Utterly  power- 
less, we  are  dragged  by  Another's  hands 


^be  }6xorct0m  of  Self  89 

from  the  dark  waters  which  threatened 
to  sweep  us  to  perdition. 

But  though  the  dethronement  of  self 
begins  at  conversion,  it  is  not  completed 
then,  or  for  long  years.  In  fact,  during 
all  the  life  that  follows  w^e  are  constantly 
becoming  more  aware  of  the  subtlety  and 
all-pervasiveness  of  the  self-principle. 
We  detect  it  in  moods  and  dispositions 
where  we  never  expected  to  discover  it. 
It  puts  off  its  filthy  rags,  and  attires 
itself  in  the  somber  garb  of  humility  or 
religious  zeal.  It  busies  itself  in  the 
work  of  God.  It  takes  a  foremost  place 
in  acts  of  self-denial  and  devotion.  It 
multiplies  its  activities.  It  glories  in  its 
unobtrusiveness.  It  loves  to  choose  the 
lowest  seat.  It  congratulates  itself  on 
its  conquests  and  growing  perfection. 
And  all   the  while,  in  its  self-compla- 


90  Calvary  to  pcntccost 

cency,  it  shows  that  it  is  a  mere  mim- 
icry of  that  genuine  hoHness  which  is 
the  direct  product  of  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

The  great  antagonist  of  the  self-prin- 
ciple is  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  lusts  against 
the  flesh ;  and  the  JiesJi  is  self  spelled 
backward.  And  if  we  surrender  our- 
selves to  the  Eternal  Spirit,  through 
whom  our  Lord  offered  Himself  upon 
the  cross,  we  shall  find  that  the  work 
of  self-destruction  will  proceed  apace. 
The  marble  will  waste,  but  the  image 
beneath  will  grow.  The  outward  man 
will  perish,  but  the  inward  man  will  be 
renewed  day  by  day.  The  crucifixion 
of  the  self-life  will  proceed  in  the  heart 
side  by  side  with  the  ever- waxing  glories 
of  the  Easter  morning  and  the  ascension 
mount. 


Zbc  ;6a:orcl0m  of  Self  9i 

The  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  antag- 
onistic of  self  because  He  is  the  Spirit  of 
love.  The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad 
in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is 
given  unto  us,  and  the  spirit  of  love  is 
antiseptic  to  the  spirit  of  self.  They  are 
mutually  destructive.  They  can  no  more 
coexist  than  light  and  darkness,  heat  and 
cold,  carbolic  acid  and  the  microbes  of 
disease. 

When  Jonathan  loved  David  as  his 
own  soul,  it  was  possible  for  him  to 
view  without  jealousy  the  growing  influ- 
ence and  power  of  his  friend.  "  Thou 
shalt  be  king  over  Israel,  and  I  shall  be 
next  unto  thee."  How  great  a  contrast 
to  the  gloomy  monarch  Saul ! 

For  love  of  David  the  three  mighties 
became  oblivious  to  the  overwhelming 
numbers  of  the  Philistine  garrison,  as 


92  Calpacs  to  ipentecost 

they  broke  through  their  ranks  to  draw 
water  from  the  ancient  well  which  was 
by  the  gate  of  Bethlehem. 

For  love  of  the  Bridegroom  the  great- 
est of  woman-born  could  view  with  joy 
the  transference  of  popularity  and  the 
interest  of  the  crowds  from  himself  to 
Him  whose  shoe-latchet  *'  he  was  not 
great  enough  to  loose."  The  dwindling 
audience  on  the  river's  bank  excited  no 
regret  or  surprise,  since  the  rest  had  gone 
to  swell  the  glory  of  his  Lord.  "  He 
must  increase,  and  I  must  decrease." 

The  loyal  heart  of  Bethany,  in  its 
much  love  for  the  dear  Master,  who  had 
revealed  to  it  His  deepest  secret,  was 
indifferent  to  the  cold  criticism  of  the 
apostles,  and  especially  to  the  cynicism 
of  Judas,  expended  its  choicest  stores, 
gladly  performed  a  slave's  office,  broke 


tbc  lEjorclsm  ot  Self  93 

the  alabaster  box  of  very  precious  oint- 
ment on  His  head,  and  wiped  His  feet 
with  her  hair. 

And  what  but  love  could  have  nerved 
the  mother  to  stand  beneath  the  cross, 
or  the  women  to  brave  the  dangers  of 
an  Eastern  city  at  dawn  to  visit  the 
sepulcher! 

Ah,  Love,  what  canst  thou  not  do! 
Thou  canst  make  the  timid  brave,  and 
the  weak  strong.  The  nervous  bird  owns 
thy  spell  as  in  defense  of  her  young  she 
turns  to  face  her  pursuer.  The  martyr, 
the  patriot,  the  hero  have  learned  of 
thee  the  secret  of  finding  beds  of  down 
on  stones,  and  gardens  of  flowers  on  bar- 
ren sands.  Thou  didst  bring  the  King 
Himself  from  the  midst  of  His  royalties 
to  the  cross,  and  He  counted  all  things 
but    loss    that   He    might    redeem    the 


94  Calvary  to  Pentecost 

Church  on  whom  He  had  set  His  heart. 
Then  self  will  be  dethroned,  the  cross  of 
daily-dying  will  be  robbed  of  its  bitter- 
ness, the  furnace  floor  will  become  a 
flower-enameled  pathway,  if  only  thou 
shalt  reign  in  us  supreme ! 

Therefore  the  apostle  said,  **  The 
love  of  Christ  constraineth  us,  because 
we  thus  judge  that  He  died  for  all,  that 
they  which  live  should  not  henceforth 
live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  Him  who 
died  for  them  and  rose  again."  The 
love  that  can  expel  self  is  not  the  vague 
love  of  a  principle  or  theory,  but  of  a 
person.  It  is  the  love  of  Christ,  which 
passeth  knowledge.  "  I  saw,"  says 
George  Fox,  **  a  sea  of  light  and  a  sea 
of  ink ;  and  the  sea  of  light  flowed  into 
the  sea  of  ink,  and  swept  it  away  for- 
ever." 


Zbe  jEjorclam  of  Sclt  95 

On  one  occasion,  as  Dr.  Chalmers 
was  riding  on  a  coach  in  the  Higlilands, 
at  a  very  dangerous  part  of  the  road 
where  it  overhung  a  precipice,  the  horses 
took  fright  and  were  near  precipitating 
the  coach  and  all  its  occupants  into  the 
ravine  beneath.  The  driver  vigorously 
applied  the  whip,  and  the  horses,  stung 
with  pain  and  dreading  further  inflic- 
tions, forgot  their  fear.  He  observed 
that  one  fear  expelled  another,  and 
coined  the  expression,  *'  The  expulsive 
power  of  a  new  affection."  Fear  expels 
fear.  Sunlight  extinguishes  firelight. 
The  love  of  a  noble  woman  often  re- 
deems a  man  from  the  sway  of  baser  pas- 
sions. And  the  love  of  Christ,  wrought 
in  us  by  the  spirit  of  love,  will  make  us 
free  from  the  love  of  self.  For  His  sake 
we  can  harbor  nothing  that  would  cause 


90  Calvary  to  Pentecost 

Him  grief  or  be  at  all  inconsistent  with 
the  completest  loyalty. 

It  has  been  argued  whether  the  apos- 
tle meant  Christ's  love  to  us  or  ours  to 
Him.  The  contention  is  needless.  It 
is  the  same  sunbeam  whether  striking 
the  mirror  directly  or  reflected  from  it 
to  the  eye. 

CJirisfs  love  to  lis  is  trajisfonning. 
A  Norwegian  lady  tells  how  a  little  child 
was  brought  to  her  orphanage,  so  repul- 
sive in  its  appearance,  and  loathsome 
for  its  sores,  that  she  felt  she  could  not 
love  it.  But  one  day  compassion  for 
its  motherlessness  made  her  stoop  over 
the  wan  little  face  and  kiss  it.  Instantly 
the  most  exquisite  smile  spread  over  the 
features,  as  the  consciousness  of  being 
loved  sank  into  the  heart.  From  that 
moment   the   whole    expression   of   the 


^be  jEjorcism  of  Sclt  97 

child  became  transformed,  and  it  grew 
to  be  the  jewel  of  her  family. 

So  the  consciousness  of  Christ's  love 
to  us  will  transfigure  us.  Only  give  it 
time  to  sink  in  as  you  sit  at  the  foot  of 
His  cross,  and  reckon  how  much  He 
must  have  loved  you,  since  He  dared 
to  die  for  you,  being  an  enemy  and  un- 
godly. 

Sijnilarly,  our  love  to  Christ  zvill 
work  a  wondrous  change.  It  will  wean 
us  away  from  all  that  grieves  Him,  just 
as  the  love  of  a  noble  man  will  draw  a 
maiden  from  the  pettiness  of  her  life, 
and  make  her  share  in  his  aims,  ideals, 
and  companionships.  Love  possesses 
a  secret  magnetism  by  which  she  can 
entice  the  soul  from  chosen  home  and 
friends  to  become  a  pilgrim  of  hope  in 
company  with  the  twin-soul  to  which  it 


98  Calvary  to  ipentccost 

has  leaped,  recognizing  its  twin.  Would 
that  thus  our  souls  might  leap  to  Christ 
and  forever  sever  themselves  from  the 
attractions  of  the  world  and  the  domin- 
ion of  self! 

"  Love  took  up  the  harp  of  Life,  and  played  on  all 
its  chords  with  might — 
Touched  the  chord  of  Self,  which  passed  in  music 
out  of  sight." 

But  perhaps  there  is  a  deeper  meanhtg 
still  in  these  words.  CJirisfs  love  may 
be  Christ's  love  in  us.  When  Christ 
becomes  a  resident  and  inmate  of  the 
inner  man,  He  comes  arrayed  in  all  His 
beautiful  garments.  There  is  the  sweet 
savor  of  His  love  poured  forth  as  fra- 
grance in  the  air,  and  the  scent  of  myrrh, 
cassia,  and  aloes  makes  the  inner  pal- 
ace redolent  with  perfume.  Then  out 
through  each  avenue  of  our  nature  go 


^be  Bjorcism  ot  Self  99 

the  telltale  tidings  of  the  dear  indwell- 
ing Lord.  Often  in  passing  through  the 
crowded  street  one  is  arrested  by  the 
breath  of  flowers  wafted  from  the  flo- 
rist's shop,  where  the  sweet  prisoners  of 
garden  and  woodland  shed  forth  the 
aroma  of  the  hothouse  on  the  chill  or 
dusty  air.  So  when  Christ  dwells  with- 
in, His  love  is  exhaled  from,  the  heart 
into  the  life. 

Then  the  one  passion  is  to  magnify 
Him  in  the  body,  whether  for  life  or 
death.  We  call  upon  all  that  is  within 
us  to  bless  His  holy  name.  To  live  is 
Christ.  We  think  no  more  what  man 
may  say  of  us ;  we  care  only  to  secure 
fresh  love  to  Him,  new  thoughts  of  His 
beauty,  His  tenderness,  His  worthiness, 
His  redeeming  grace.  It  is  a  matter  of 
perfect  indifference  whether  men  praise 


100  Calvary  to  ipenteco6t 

_     .  _      __       ___  ^ 

or  love  or  hate.    We  only  care  that  they 
understand  a  little  more  truly  what  He  ,: 

can  be,  what  He  is,  what  His  love  is  | 

capable  of.      To  die  in  doing  this  were  ' 

gain  indeed.     Thus  self  is  exorcised,  and 
troubles  us  no  more.  J 


VII 
AGONIZING  UNTO  PERFECTION 


101 


VII 

AGONIZING  UNTO  PERFECTION 

They  are  marvelous  words  that  the 
apostle  says  of  himself.  In  our  own 
version  they  are  sufficiently  startling: 
*'  Christ  in  you,  the  Hope  whom  we 
proclaim,  admonishing  every  man  and 
teaching  every  man  in  all  wisdom,  that 
we  may  present  every  man  perfect  in 
Christ,  ivhcreitiito  I  labor  also,  striviiig 
according  to  His  ivorking,  that  worketh 
in  me  mightily  "  (Col.  i.  28,  29).  But 
in  the  language  he  wrote  the  word  striv- 
ing is  agonizing.  It  is  the  word  used 
of  a  racer  or  wrestler,  of  a  man  strain- 
ing every  nerve  and  muscle  for  the 
103 


104  Calvary  to  ipentecost 

prize.  Similarly,  the  words  rendered 
working  and  ivorketJi  are  really  energis- 
ing and  energizetJi.  The  words  gain 
vividness  and  intensity  while  we  read 
them  thus :  **  Whereunto  I  labor  also, 
agonizing  according  to  His  energizing, 
that  energizeth  in  me  mightily." 

In  the  spring,  when  the  first  flow- 
ers herald  the  advent  of  the  boundless 
wealth  of  natural  life,  we  become  keenly 
sensible  of  the  putting  forth  of  God's 
energy.  It  throbs  in  every  flower  and 
tree,  in  orchard  and  hedge-row.  So  it 
is  in  the  heart  and  life  of  each  regene- 
rate man.  God  Is  in  him,  and  energizes 
in  him ;  and  it  is  for  him  to  agonize, 
according  to  the  inworking  of  the  Divine 
Spirit  of  life. 

But  what  was  the  goal  of  the  apos- 
tle's agony  ?    What  object  was  that  to- 


Bgoniaing  IDlnto  ipertectioii        io5 

ward  which  the  divine  energy  bore  him  ? 
Why  that  straining  nerve,  that  eager 
strife?  To  the  superficial  glance  it 
seems  as  if  he  sought  nothing  else  than 
that  each  of  his  converts  should  be  pre- 
sented perfect  in  Christ;  but  the  word 
also  conveys  an  added  thought,  a  touch 
of  deeper  meaning.  It  is  doubtless  true 
that  the  apostle  was  eager  to  see  each 
spiritual  child  stand  complete  in  all  the 
will  of  God,  but  it  is  equally  true  that 
he  sought  it  with  equal  earnestness  for 
himself. 

And  what  of  this  perfection  which  he 
so  strenuously  sought?  The  thought 
at  the  root  of  the  Greek  word  is  end,  or 
fulfilment.  The  perfect  thing  is  that 
which  fulfils  to  its  utmost  limit  its  ideal. 
Everything  has  an  ideal,  toward  the 
fulfilment  of  which  it  strives.     There  is 


106  Calvary  to  ipcntecogt 

an  ideal  for  the  waterfall  dropping  from 
the  uplands  where  the  snows  are  melt- 
ing; an  ideal  for  the  Alp  that  rears 
itself  in  splintered  glory  against  the 
deep  blue  of  the  sky ;  an  ideal  for  the 
tree  that  spreads  itself  in  the  parkland, 
and  for  the  flower  that  unfurls  its  secret 
loveliness  in  the  glade.  The  ideal  is 
possibly  never  realized.  It  exists  in 
the  mind  of  God  alone.  It  combines 
in  perfect  and  finished  beauty,  too  fair 
for  earth,  all  the  essential  properties  of 
grace,  beauty,  and  usefulness,  peculiar 
to  the  order  of  which  it  is  the  norm  or 
type.  But  every  member  of  the  famil}- 
of  which  it  is  the  ideal  is  impelled  by 
an  inward  impulse  to  strive  toward  its 
attainment.  Though  it  has  never  been 
realized,  and  never  can  be  realized,  in 
texture  however  delicate,  in  hue  how- 


2lgoni3fn^  IHnto  ipertectfon        107 

ever  exquisite,  in  form  however  shape- 
ly ;  though  ages  have  striven  for  it,  and 
failed ;  yet  it  is  the  supreme  goal  for 
which  each  member  of  the  family  makes. 
So  there  is  an  ideal  man.  In  nature 
the  ideal  exists  only  in  the  mind  of  God, 
and  has  never  been  perfectly  reaHzed, 
because  sin  has  blighted  creation,  and 
the  creature  is  made  subject  to  vanity. 
But  the  ideal  Man  has  been  mani- 
fested. Human  hands  have  touched 
Him,  human  eyes  beheld  Him,  weary 
heads  have  rested  near  His  heart.  And 
each  regenerate  soul  must  strive  even 
to  agony  to  realize  that  ideal,  and  to  be 
conformed  to  the  image  of  the  Son,  that 
He  may  be  the  first-born  among  many 
brethren.  This  is  perfection,  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  divine  ideal,  the  realization 
of  the  divine  type. 


108  Calvary  to  ipentccost 

We  must  agonize  for  this.  All  around 
us  there  are  indications  of  such  agony. 
See  how  the  forest  trees  strive  to  realize 
their  ideal  growth,  though  they  are  pent 
in  on  all  sides  by  their  competitors. 
Mark  how  the  bird  will  persevere  against 
every  discouragement  and  difficulty  to 
fashion  the  ideal  nest.  Consider  the  in- 
genuity by  which  nature  tries  to  gain 
her  end,  even  when  there  is  malforma- 
tion and  disease,  as  though  she  would 
not  be  thwarted  in  her  purpose  or  de- 
feated in  her  design.  Would  that  such 
agony  were  ours!  In  spite  of  difficul- 
ties, discouragement,  natural  drawbacks, 
let  us  agonize  to  fulfil  so  far  as  possible 
the  divine  ideal  presented  in  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord. 

But  the  parallel  between  natural  and 
spiritual  growth  holds  still  farther.     We 


Baoni3(ng  IHnto  {perfection        loo 

Jiave  IV i thin  us  the  gam  of  the  perfected 
vianJiood  of  CJirist.  His  seed  remaineth 
in  us.  We  have  been  made  partakers  of 
the  divine  nature.  What  is  that  incor- 
ruptible seed  of  which  we  are  begotten 
again,  except  it  be  the  germ  of  the 
Christ-life  ?  And  as  the  seed  of  flower 
or  tree,  as  the  young  life  of  bird  or  beast, 
aspires  to  realize  their  perfect  ideal,  so 
that  holy  thing  which  has  been  born 
into  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  can 
do  no  other  than  aspire  toward  an  even 
closer  approximation  to  the  hkeness  of 
the  Lord  Jesus. 

It  may  not  be  possible  that  we  should 
ever  perfectly  attain  unto  it.  *'  Not  as 
though  I  had  already  attained"  must 
be  our  perpetual  confession — ''  I  follow 
after."  There  will  be  some  curl  in  the 
leaf,  some  stain  or  freckle  in  the  flower, 


110  Calvaris  to  ipentecost 

some  defect  or  excrescence.  The  lim- 
itations of  our  mortality,  the  taint  of 
our  nature,  the  conditions  of  the  atmo- 
sphere, all  militate  against  the  perfect 
attainment  of  our  quest ;  and  those 
who  are  nearest  it  will  think  themselves 
farthest  away.  Still  w^e  must  agonize 
toward  it,  prompted  by  the  inherent 
nature  of  that  which  was  begotten  in 
us  by  the  regenerating  Spirit. 

Then,  to  put  the  same  thought  In  an- 
other form,  zve  are  joined, by  fait  Ji  to  the 
perfect  Man  Himself.  As  the  vine- root, 
hidden  far  away  in  the  earth,  tries  to 
repeat  itself  in  every  green  frond  that 
waves  in  the  balmy  air,  and  every  red- 
dening grape,  so  does  the  Christ-life, 
pouring  into  our  nature  from  the  heart 
of  our  Lord,  yearn  to  repqat  itself  more 
fully  and  perfectly  within  us.      Every 


BGonliinG  lanto  ipcrfcctlon        m 

time  we  loathe  ourselves  and  repent ; 
every  time  we  catch  a  new  vision  of  our 
ideal,  and  long  to  transfer  it  to  our- 
selves; every  time  we  feel  within  our- 
selves a  kindredship  with  great  and  holy 
souls,  we  are  receiving  another  pulse  of 
the  life  of  Jesus  seeking  to  express  and 
realize  itself.  At  whatever  cost,  we 
must  then  agonize  to  answer  and  real- 
ize the  divine  promptings,  ''  not  diso- 
bedient to  the  heavenly  vision." 

Directly  we  touch  Christ,  though  the 
touch  be  slight  as  that  of  the  woman  on 
His  robe,  a  relationship  is  established 
between  Him  and  us,  and  from  that 
moment  His  perfect  manhood  begins  to 
flow  into  our  innermost  being,  molding 
it  after  the  fashion  of  His  own. 

But,  to  put  the  truth  in  yet  another 
form,  we  have  xvitJiin   the  same  Holy 


iiii  Calvari^  to  ipcntccost 

Spirit  that  fashioned  and  energised 
zvitJiin  the  Jinnian  nature  of  Christ. 
Through  Him  He  was  conceived  and 
anointed ;  and  by  Him  He  offered  Him- 
self without  spot  to  God,  and  was  raised 
from  the  dead.  .  This  blessed  Spirit  is 
actually  within  us,  and  is  striving  to 
conform  us  to  the  image  of  our  Lord. 
In  some  He  has  been  so  often  grieved 
and  thwarted  that  His  energizing  is  re- 
duced to  a  minimum.  But  in  others 
He  energizes  mightity.  Probably  the 
more  we  yield  to  them,  the  more  mighty 
do  those  energizings  become. 

This  is  where  our  agonizings  must  be- 
gin. Not  to  be  saved,  but  to  gather  up 
with  miserly  care  and  to  translate  into 
immediate  action  those  blessed  yearn- 
ings and  energizings.     Agonizing  that 


B0oni3tn9  ''Unto  perfection        ii3 

nothing  be  lost — agonizing  to  work  out 
in  each  detail  what  He  works  in. 

Deliverance  from  the  power  of  sin  is 
not  the  supreme  attainment  of  the  Chris- 
tian life.  It  is  incidental,  though  neces- 
sary to  it.  The  mother  longs  to  see 
her  child  delivered  from  the  disease  that 
scars  its  skin,  or  the  fever  that  is  burn- 
ing up  its  life,  but  she  would  not  be  con- 
tent for  the  child  merely  to  be  delivered. 
She  longs  to  see  it  grow  to  perfect  ma- 
turity. So  deliverance  from  sin  is  but 
the  stepping-stone,  the  vestibule  and 
threshold  of  the  real  life, 

God's  energies  are  generally  slight 
and  gentle  at  the  beginning.  Do  not 
miss  them  by  expecting  something  over- 
mastering and  awful.  Follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  He  goeth.     But  the  silver 


114  Calvarg  to  ipcntecost 

thread  will  become  a  stream,  the  stream 
a  river,  the  river  pulsating  with  the  throb 
and  beat  of  the  ocean  tide ;  launch  on 
the  rill,  and  you  will  presently  feel  the 
tidal  currents.  Then  agonize  to  get 
from  them  all  they  have  to  give. 


VIII 
THE  PEACE  THAT  GUARDS 


115 


VIII 
THE  PEACE  THAT  GUARDS 

Closely  associated  with  the  resur- 
rection song  is  the  resurrection  peace. 
On  the  evening  of  that  first  Easter  Day 
the  Master's  first  words  were  of  the 
peace  which  He  had  won  a  new  power 
to  speak,  through  those  wounds  which* 
He  showed  on  His  deeply  scarred  flesh. 
"  He  stood  in  the  midst,  and  said  unto 
them.  Peace  be  unto  you." 

It  was  the  old  Hebrew  salutation, 
familiar  to  the  patriarchs  in  that  world 
of  which  echoes  still  linger  in  the  speech 
of  the  wild  Bedawin  of  the  desert ;  and 
the  high  priest,  fresh  from  the  very 
117 


118  Calvary  toipentecost 

presence-chamber  of  Jehovah,  with  the 
glow  of  the  Shekinah  on  his  face,  uttered 
it  in  his  threefold  blessing,  for  which  the 
congregation  had  waited  patiently.  But 
the  words  were  new-minted  when  the 
Lord  spoke  them  amid  the  rapture  of 
that  Easter  night.  He  had  promised  to 
give  them  His  peace  as  His  last  bequest, 
but  it  was  only  as  the  Holy  Ghost  nestled 
as  a  dove  in  the  heart  of  the  Church 
that  the  full  wealth  of  sacred  meaning 
hidden  in  the  words  began  to  be  un- 
raveled and  disclosed.  It  was  needful 
that  Rom.  v.  should  be  written  to  show 
that  the  foundation  of  that  peace  lay  in 
the  agony  and  blood  of  the  cross,  and 
is  only  possible  to  the  soul  that  has  been 
justified  by  faith  in  Him  who  died  and 
rose  again.  It  was  needful  that  Col.  i. 
should  be  penned  to  show  that  the  peace 


Zbc  ipeacc  tbat  ©uarDs  no 

made  through  the  blood  of  Christ  should 
spread  through  the  universe  of  God,  until 
it  had  subdued  all  rule  and  authority 
and  power.  It  was  needful  that  the 
Book  of  Revelation  should  be  added  to 
teach  the  Church,  by  many  an  exqui- 
site symbol,  such  as  the  palm-bearing 
crowds,  the  tranquillity  of  the  sea  of 
glass,  the  calm  of  the  vales  through 
which  the  Shepherd  leads  His  flock,  the 
music  of  the  harps,  what  that  peace  is 
which  is  the  heritage  of  the  saints. 

But  nowhere  is  the  office  of  this  peace 
more  clearly  indicated  than  when  the 
apostle  says,  "  The  peace  of  God,  which 
passeth  all  understanding,  shall  guard 
our  hearts  and  thoughts  in  Christ  Jesus." 
The  word  giiaj'd  is  unique,  and  indicates 
the  patrol  of  the  sentry  who  passes  to 
and  fro  before  the  outer  gate,  examin- 


120  Calvarg  to  Pentecost 

ing  each  intruder,  and  preventing  the 
entrance  of  any  whose  presence  would 
menace  the  weU-being  of  the  Inmates  of 
the  home.  It  Is  a  subhme  conception 
that  God's  sweet  angel  Peace — the  child 
and  daughter  of  His  deepest  Self — the 
symbol  of  His  own  unutterable  repose, 
should  undertake  to  keep  the  hearts  and 
minds  of  His  children  from  the  molesta- 
tion of  those  passionate  emotions  and 
perturbing  anxieties  which  sweep  hu- 
man life,  as  the  winds  fling  themselves 
in  passion  on  landlocked  lakes,  stirring 
the  waters  Into  the  fury  of  storm. 

The  sentry  stands  between  the  door- 
way and  the  crowd  that  would  break 
upon  the  sacred  precincts,  and  wards  the 
people  off,  who  with  their  clamor  and 
ruthless  hands  would  spoil  and  destroy. 
No  thief   may  pass   to   steal ;   no  foul- 


^be  ipeace  tbat  (Bllar^s  121 

mouthed  ruffian  to  fill  the  air  with  his 
reviling,  or  defile  the  ears  of  gentle 
women  or  little  children;  no  tyrant 
bandit  may  enter  to  assume  the  head- 
ship of  the  home,  and  gratify  his  inso- 
lence or  passion.  Whatever  tumult  or 
violence  is  without,  the  billow  breaks 
helplessly  upon  the  barrier  of  soft  sand, 
and  beyond,  the  fields  of  peace  are  enam- 
eled by  the  flowers  of  joy,  safe  from  the 
intrusion  of  the  turbulent  wave.  What 
the  coral  reef  is  to  the  sw^eet  islands  of 
the  Pacific,  protecting  their  dainty  tropic 
luxuriance  from  the  mighty  billows  of 
the  ocean,  tJiat  God's  peace  is  to  the 
hearts  that  nestle  within  its  inclosing 
walls. 

It  keeps  the  Jieart,  the  apostle  says. 
Now  the  heart  is  the  seat  of  the  emo- 
tions ;   the  center  of  our  affections ;  the 


122  Calvary  to  Pentecost 

hearth  whose  ruddy  glow  sheds  hght 
and  heat  tliroughout  man's  nature ;  the 
shrine  of  the  love  which  we  give  to  God 
and  man.  It  is  there  that  the  furnace 
of  life  is  hidden,  moving  its  machinery 
with  irresistible  impulse.  It  is  there 
we  treasure  the  memory  of  voices  now 
hushed,  of  the  touches  of  vanished  hands 
now  stHl.  It  is  a  chamber  around  whose 
walls  hang  the  pictures  of  those  who 
have  loved  us,  and  whom  we  have  loved 
ever  since  love  awoke  within  us.  And 
just  because  the  affections  of  our  nature 
are  so  mighty  in  their  all-pervasive  in- 
fluence upon  us,  they  are  the  object  of 
Satan's  direst  attacks. 

We  love  right  objects  wrongly  with 
the  idolatry  of  love,  with  the  unreason- 
ableness that  sacrifices  their  well-being 
to  the  gratification  of  our  own  passion, 


Zbc  iDeacc  tbat  (Buar^s  123 

or  with  an  absorbing  selfishness  that  un- 
fits us  for  Hfe's  other  claims.  We  love 
wrong  objects,  casting  a  wealth  of  affec- 
tion on  those  whom  God  has  placed  be- 
yond our  reach.  Even  when  we  love 
rightly,  it  is  through  our  affections  that 
we  are  visited  with  those  anxieties  and 
fears  that  fill  us  with  alarm,  that  ruffle 
our  serenity,  and  impede  our  progress 
in  grace,  and  veil  the  face  of  God.  This 
is  specially  the  temptation  of  youth  and 
age.  Of  youtJi,  because  the  young  heart 
is  so  susceptible  to  impression,  so  reten- 
tive of  the  face,  the  eye,  the  act,  which 
has  won  its  confidence,  and  so  prone  to 
intrust  all  its  stores  in  the  slight  bark  of 
another's  life.  Of  age,  because  when 
the  heart  has  been  often  widowed,  and 
has  seen  one  by  one  its  treasures  en- 
gulfed before  its  gaze,  and  has  discov- 


124  Calvarigto  iC>enteco0t 

ered  that  all  the  stores  of  honor  and 
wealth  given  by  material  things  are  not 
to  be  compared  with  the  gold,  myrrh, 
and  frankincense  of  love,  it  clings  with 
fond  tenacity  to  its  dwindling  circle, 
hearing  in  every  footfall  the  step  of  the 
destroyer,  and  detecting  in  every  zephyr 
the  portent  of  the  storm  that  shall  en- 
gulf the  residue  of  its  possessions. 

If  there  is  a  power  that  can  intercept 
the  incidence  of  what  we  dread,  that  can 
still  our  hearts'  alarms,  that  can  pacify 
our  anxieties,  that  can  give  the  hush 
of  God's  own  peace  to  allay  perturbing 
dread !  If  there  is  a  sentry  that  can 
keep  the  house  of  our  heart  free  from 
molesting  alarm !  If  only  our  affections 
can  be  guarded  and  kept  when  the 
storm  of  passion  threatens  to  rise,  or 
when  the  margin  of  moderation  is  about 


Ube  ipeace  tbat  ©uarOs  125 

to  be  crossed !  It  were  a  gift  worthy  of 
God  upon  the  one  hand,  and  welcome 
to  man  as  more  indispensable  than  the 
very  bread  of  his  life. 

It  keeps  the  thought.  If  the  heart  is 
most  easily  perturbed  in  youth  and  age, 
the  mind  is  most  deeply  exercised  in 
the  passage  of  middle  life  by  the  strain 
of  life,  the  pressure  of  its  responsibilities, 
and  the  thronging  crowd  of  its  anxieties. 
Thoughts  about  the  result  of  past  mis- 
takes ;  thoughts  that  forbode  disaster ; 
thoughts  of  opportunities  that  will  never 
return ;  thoughts  which  become  bewil- 
dered by  their  own  complexity ;  thoughts 
about  the  mystery  of  God  and  provi- 
dence and  life,  which  turn  back  baffled 
from  their  flight ;  thoughts  about  the 
reasons  of  things ;  thoughts  that  weary, 
as  a  strained  eye  wearies  with  attempt- 


126  Calvari?  to  ipentecoet 

ing  to  penetrate  the  distance  of  the 
horizon  or  of  the  sky;  evil  thoughts, 
jealous  thoughts,  vindictive  and  passion- 
ate thoughts.  The  vagrant  thought  of 
the  impulse ;  the  wandering  thought, 
alighting  upon  the  heart  as  the  bird 
upon  the  roof- ridge;  bad  thoughts, 
flung  like  missiles  flaming  hot. 

The  mind  is  like  a  hostelry  where 
crowds  pass  in  and  out,  and  the  pave- 
ment is  worn  by  many  feet;  or  an  ex- 
change where  the  products  of  every 
land  are  handled ;  or  a  palace  made  for 
a  king,  but  invaded  by  a  mob.  Is  there 
anywhere  a  power  that  can  marshal 
these  thoughts  ?  Resisting  the  entrance 
of  those  that  have  no  right  to  intrude, 
and  promoting  the  regulation  of  those 
that  justly  claim  admission!  The  apos- 
tle says  tJie  peace  of  God  can  do  it.     We 


^be  ipcace  tbat  i3uarD6  127 

should  have  thought  that  she  was  not 
strong  enough  for  so  stern  a  work.  But 
the  apostle  quoted  from  his  own  experi- 
ence when  he  said,  "  The  peace  of  God 
shall  garrison  your  hearts  and  thoughts." 
When  that  peace  is  within,  ruling  there, 
it  reduces  chaos  to  cosmos,  confusion  to 
order,  as  a  gentle  mother  in  a  family  of 
boisterous  children. 

A  twofold  law  controls  the  operation 
of  God's  peace  :  "  In  nothing  be  anxious ; 
but  in  everything^  by  prayer  and  sup- 
plication with  thanksgiving,  let  your  re- 
quests be  made  known  unto  God."  It 
is  not  enough  to  say  to  men,  **  Don't 
fret,  don't  worry;"  we  must  give  them 
something  better.  Not  a  bare  negative, 
but  a  blessed  positive.  It  is  not  that  we 
are  to  spend  our  days  in  long,  entreating 
prayers;   but   in   the   simplest,  plainest 


128  Calvary  to  ipentecost 

words,  and  about  everything,  however 
trivial  and  insignificant,  simply  to  make 
07ir  rcqjiests  knoivn.  Prayer  and  suppli- 
cation, mingled  with  the  fragrance  of 
thanksgiving,  must  tell  out  the  story  of 
need  and  desire  into  the  ear  of  the  great 
Father.  Spread  the  letter  before  Him  ; 
cast  the  tangled  skein  at  His  feet;  take 
to  Him  the  broken  fragments  of  the 
shivered  casket  which  only  yesterday 
contained  the  jewels  of  life ;  open  to 
Him  the  wounds  from  which  the  ban- 
dages have  been  recently  torn,  and  which 
are  yawning  and  smarting.  It  is  no 
use  worrying.  Do  not  go  about  with  a 
melancholy  face  and  whining  voice,  as 
if  God  were  dealing  more  hardly  with 
you  than  you  deserve ;  do  not  sit  down 
in  despair,  as  if  the  joy  of  your  life  had 
fled  forever.     Just  tell  Him  how  things 


^be  peace  tbat  Guards  129 

are  with  you  :  what  you  hoped ;  what 
you  want ;  what  you  think  would  pro- 
mote your  happiness  and  goodness; 
what  is  needed  to  complete  your  life : 
then  leave  it  there.  You  have  com- 
mitted your  cause  to  the  wisest  and 
most  tender,  to  the  strongest  and  truest 
Friend.  Leave  there  thy  gift  at  the 
altar.  Anoint  thy  head  and  wash  thy 
face.  Go  forth  to  think  and  practise 
whatsoever  things  are  true,  honorable, 
just,  pure,  lovely,  gracious,  and  the  peace 
of  God  will  open  the  way  to  the  God  of 
peace  Himself.  Upon  the  heels  of  His 
messenger  the  King  will  come.  When 
the  palace  is  permeated  by  the  atmo- 
sphere of  heaven,  the  Presence  that 
makes  heaven  will  shed  its  glory  through 
every  apartment  of  the  soul. 

These    things    pass    understanding; 


130  Calvarg  to  jpentecost 

they  belong  to  the  reahn  of  the  unseen 
and  eternal.  They  are  part  of  those 
thoughts  which  are  higher  than  our 
thoughts,  and  of  those  emotions  that 
pertain  to  the  nature  of  God.  But 
though  they  cannot  be  understood;  or 
expressed  in  mortal  language ;  or  told 
by  strain  of  harp,  or  glint  of  summer 
light,  or  vista  of  earthly  repose  and 
beauty;  though  words  fail,  and  Imagi- 
nation drops  from  her  exhausted  hand 
palette  and  brush,  and  Hope  herself  re- 
turns as  Noah's  dove,  bringing  but  one 
leaf  from  a  whole  world  of  vegetation — 
yet  these  things  may  be  experienced, 
realized,  enjoyed  by  the  heart  that  is 
in  Christ  Jesus.  Out  of  Christ  Jesus, 
perturbation  and  alarm  ;  in  Christ  Jesus, 
the  peace  of  God  Himself. 

And  thus  we  come  to  participate  in 


XLbc  peace  tbat  (5uarD6  i3i 

the  God  of  peace  (Phil.  iv.  9).  The  at- 
tribute of  the  Person  leads  to  the  Person. 
We  no  longer  receive  some  gift  of  His 
ineffable  nature;  but  we  have  found 
Him,  we  possess  Him,  we  are  possessed 
by  Him,  in  whom  love,  joy,  peace,  long- 
suffering,  gentleness,  and  goodness  have 
their  home. 


IX 
THE    ART   OF   SITTING   STILL 


133 


IX 

THE  ART  OF  SITTING  STILL 

"  Sit  still,  my  daughter,"  Naomi  said, 
as  the  two  lone  women  sat  together, 
while  the  gray  dawn  broke  over  the 
sky.  Each  had  her  special  thoughts, 
thoughts  that  tended  to  disquietude  and 
restlessness.  The  elder  was  eager  to 
find  a  home  for  the  young  life  which 
had  twined  itself  so  tenaciously  around 
her.  The  younger  was  filled  with  hope 
and  fear  and  wonder,  as  she  stood  in 
the  doorway,  which  seemed  about  to 
open  into  a  garden  of  delight.  It  is 
not  easy  to  sit  still  when  young  life  is 
throbbing  through  our  veins,  and  hope 


136  Calvary  to  f>enteco6t 


beckons  us  forward,  and  our  natural  im- 
pulse Is  to  do  something  to  secure  the 
accomplishment  of  our  plans. 

Months  before  these  two  had  traveled 
together  from  the  valleys  of  Moab, 
where  the  girl  was  known  as  the  Rose. 
At  first,  life  in  Bethlehem  had  meant  a 
rush  of  bitter  memory,  sad  foreboding, 
bitter  privation;  but  of  late  there  had 
been  a  turn  in  the  tide.  Those  strong 
young  arms,  filled  with  the  gleaner's 
sheaves,  had  beaten  back  hunger  and 
want,  bringing  comfort  and  help  to  the 
aged  heart  of  the  mother,  for  whom  all 
pleasantness  seemed  to  have  passed, 
and  whose  eyes  would  wistfully  turn  at 
sunset  to  the  long  range  of  the  hills  of 
Moab,  glowing  in  the  slanting  rays,  be- 
cause on  their  farther  side  lay  the  three 
graves  where  her  life  lay  buried.      How 


XLbc  Brt  of  Sitting  Still  137 

natural  that  Naomi  should  strive  to  win 
rest  and  home  and  love  for  the  one  who 
was  more  to  her  than  ten  sons ! 

It  is  not  on  the  pathos  of  this  story 
that  we  desire  to  dwell,  but  on  the  rea- 
son that  Naomi  gave  Ruth  for  the  hush 
on  her  throbbing  nature,  for  the  stillness 
and  sitting  down  for  which  she  pleaded. 
Boaz  was  known  through  the  whole  dis- 
trict as  a  man  of  honor,  strong  as  he  was 
considerate,  fit  to  rule  others  because 
able  to  control  himself,  a  man  to  w^hom  a 
defenseless  woman  might  intrust  herself 
without  the  slightest  fear  of  his  taking 
undue  advantage  of  her,  one  to  whom  the 
boys  and  youths  of  Bethlehem  looked 
up  as  their  model,  and  whose  pure,  sim- 
ple, and  beautiful  life  was  the  bread  on 
which  his  fellovz-townsmen  daily  lived. 
In  former  days,  Naomi,  in  common  with 


138  Calvarg  to  iC>entcco6t 

the  rest  of  her  people,  had  read  him  as 
we  read  a  book,  and  was  persuaded  that 
he  was  a  man  of  his  word,  one  who 
could  be  relied  on  to  see  to  the  end  any 
duty  which  he  undertook.  '*  Sit  still, 
my  daughter,"  she  therefore  said;  ''for 
the  man  will  not  rest  until  he  have  fin- 
ished the  thing  this  day." 

It  is  thus,  and  only  thus,  that  we  too 
can  rest.  Every  year  the  stress  and 
speed  of  life  increase.  Events,  engage- 
ments, books,  opinions,  flash  past  us,  as 
the  country  seen  through  the  windows 
of  an  express-train.  One  impression 
has  not  time  to  fix  itself  on  the  inner 
eye  before  it  is  succeeded  by  another, 
by  which  it  is  effaced.  It  is  increasingly 
difficult  to  find  time  literally  to  sit  down, 
and  even  if  the  physical  attitude  is  as- 
sumed, the  mind  is  invaded  by  so  many 


^be  Bit  of  Sittim  StlU  139 

• 

distracting  thoughts  and  suggestions 
that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  sit  sti//. 
It  is  needless  to  emphasize  the  im- 
mense injury  which  is  inflicted  by  this 
unceasing  restlessness,  not  only  on  the 
worker,  but  on  the  work.  Manufactu- 
rers of  goods  requiring  the  highest  finish 
are  compelled  to  move  their  workshops 
from  the  feverish  rush  of  our  great  cities 
to  the  quiet  of  country  towns,  where 
the  current  of  life  runs  less  swiftly  and 
it  is  possible  to  look  from  end  to  end  of 
the  main  street  at  noon  without  descry- 
ing a  single  individual.  What  obtains 
in  respect  to  artistic  fancy  and  skill  is 
still  more  true  of  the  highest  forms  of 
spiritual  work.  The  incessant  demand 
for  fresh  matter,  for  the  fulfilment  of 
public  duty,  for  an  opinion  on  every 
new  book  or  fresh  development  of  the 


140  Calvary  to  iC^cntccost 

A 

eager  life  around,  is  diametrically  op- 
posed to  that  quietude  of  the  soul  in 
which'  the  muddy  waters  can  deposit 
their  heavy  silt  and  become  clear  again 
and  able  to  reflect  the  azure  sky.  It  is 
therefore  the  sorrowful  confession  of 
many  foremost  workers  that  they  are 
able  to  complete  nothing,  and  all  their 
work  bears  trace  of  the  pressure  under 
which  it  has  been  produced. 

Besides  this,  the  restlessness  of  the 
soul  breeds  irritability,  fretfulness,  and 
nervous  depression.  The  home  life  suf- 
fers. The  family  circle  is  broken  up. 
The  natural  play  of  disposition  on  dispo- 
sition has  no  opportunity  for  its  whole- 
some ministry.  There  is  a  story  told 
of  the  children  of  a  certain  enthusiastic 
artist,  who  were  found  running  in  des- 
perate haste,  as  if  pursued,  to  a  remote 


^be  Bit  of  Sitting  Still  ui 

corner  of  the  house,  and  who  gave  the 
explanation,  "  Father's  painting  a  sky ; " 
and  perhaps  many  a  home  where  some 
prominent  worker  lodges — for  it  is  little 
else — is  shadowed  by  a  similar  fear,  the 
indirect  result  of  the  overpressure  of 
the  age. 

It  is  only  as  we  sit  still  that  we  can 
elaborate  our  fairest  work ;  conceive,  like 
Mary,  the  idea  of  breaking  alabaster  on 
the  head  of  our  Lord ;  utter,  like  David, 
our  noblest  prayers;  or  preserve  that 
natural  healthy  life  which  is  the  charm 
of  the  home,  the  secret  of  healthy  influ- 
ence over  others. 

But  there  is  only  one  method  by 
which  this  lost  art  can  be  regained :  we 
must  shelter  ourselves  in  absolute  faith 
behind  Jesus  Christ.  These  two  soli- 
tary women  were  able  to  still  each  other 


142  Calvary  to  Pentecost 

and  themselves  by  remembering  that 
Boaz  had  their  matter  in  hand,  and  that 
he  was  both  able  and  eager  to  carry  it 
through.  They  might  sit  still  because 
he  would  not  sit  still.  They  might  rest 
since  he  would  not.  Their  cause  was 
safe  in  his  hands,  and  he  would  see  it  to 
the  end,  whatever  it  might  be.  Happy 
is  it  when  we  can  thus  hand  over  our 
many  anxieties  and  burdens  to  the  Lord, 
and  be  sure  that  He  has  assumed  them, 
bears  them  in  His  heart,  and  will  not 
rest  until  He  has  seen  them  safely  to 
the  end.  ''  Rest  in  the  Lord,  and  wait 
patiently  for  Him.     Fret  not  thyself." 

The  habit  of  reckoning  on  Christ  is 
the  key  to  a  restful  life.  Not  only  to 
depend  on  His  promises,  but  to  count 
on  Himself.  A  good  man,  one  of  those 
for  whom  some  would  even  dare  to  die, 


^be  Brt  of  Sitting  Still  us 

is  more  than  his  words  or  assurances, 
because  a  case  may  arise  not  covered 
by  either  of  them,  and  then  we  can  fall 
back  on  what  we  know  him  to  be.  Christ 
is  more  than  His  spoken  and  recorded 
words. 

Is  there  some  great  perplexity  in 
your  life,  the  result  of  some  indiscretion 
or  sin  in  years  gone  by?  Is  there  a 
lurking  evil  in  your  heart,  which  you 
have  tried  in  vain  to  quell?  Is  there 
some  anxiety  about  one  dearer  to  you 
than  life,  who  is  drifting  beyond  your 
reach  ?  Is  there  the  sickness  of  heart- 
ache  and  despair?  Is  there  a  yearning 
for  all  that  can  be  realized  of  deliverance 
from  sin,  the  filling  of  the  Spirit,  the  hfe 
and  love  of  God  ?  Go  to  the  great  Kins- 
man, find  Him  when  you  can  speak  to 
Him  without  interruption,  tell  Him  all, 


144  Calvarg  to  jpcntccost 

hand  it  all  over  to  Him,  then  go  home 
and  sit  still. 

If  there  is  anything  for  you  to  do  He 
will  tell  you  what  it  is,  and  give  you  the 
grace  to  do  it.  But  if  not,  sit  still,  wait 
patiently,  quiet  yourself  like  a  weaned 
child :  He  cannot  forget,  He  will  not 
procrastinate,  He  cannot  fail.  He  is 
allowing  no  grass  to  grow  under  His 
feet.  He  is  making  haste,  though  He 
appears  to  tarry.  And  presently  at  the 
door  there  will  be  a  shout  of  joy.  Then 
the  bridal  bells  shall  ring  out  over  an 
accomplished  purpose,  and  your  life 
shall  be  no  more  Marah,  but  Naomi, 
and  bitterness  shall  be  swallowed  up  in 
blessedness. 


THE  SUPREME  GIFT  OF  THE  ASCEN- 
SION 


I 

145 


X 


THE  SUPREME  GIFT  OF  THE  ASCEN- 
SION 

To  the  simple  graphic  story  of  the 
inspired  annah'sts,  the  Apostle  Peter, 
moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  adds  some 
significant  details,  in  that  great  sermon 
which  he  preached  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost. He  tells  us  that  the  ascension 
of  our  Lord  was  due  not  simply  to  the 
inherent  virtue  of  His  nature,  but  to  the 
direct  action  and  interposition  of  His 
Feather,  ''  being  by  the  right  hand  of 
God  exalted,"  as  though,  through  the 
azure  sky,  the  hand  of  God  were  reached 
down  to  our  low  earth,  to  raise  His  Son 
through  all  heavens  to  His  throne. 
147 


148  Calvaris  to  ipentecost 

But  there  is  yet  a  more  striking  ex- 
pression used  by  the  apostle,  the  full 
significance  of  which  evades  our  most 
searching  scrutiny — that  in  which  he 
speaks  of  Christ  as  receiving  from  the 
Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
It  was  as  if  the  ascension  day,  which 
began  in  Jerusalem  and  ended  in  glory, 
which  exchanged  the  Mount  of  Olives  at 
dawn  for  the  meridian  light  of  heaven's 
unsetting  noon,  witnessed  also  the  re- 
ception on  the  part  of  Christ  of  a  new 
accession  of  the  power  and  grace  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

As  Son  of  God,  He  had  from  all 
eternity  been  One  with  the  Father  and 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  it  was  im- 
possible for  Him  to  receive  more  than 
He  already  possessed ;  but  on  His  in- 
carnation He  evidently  entered  into  new 


^be  Supreme  Gift  of  tbe  Bsceneton  uo 

relations  with  the  Divine  Spirit,  as  is 
clear  from  many  expressions  used  in 
reference  to  it  throughout  the  gospel. 
We  cannot  penetrate  the  mystery  of 
Christ's  nature.  It  is  secret.  But  we 
believe  that  God  was  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  and  it  is  from  the  human  stand- 
point that  we  approach  Him  now,  as 
one  draws  near  the  lower  slopes  of  some 
soaring  Alp,  the  upper  reaches  of  which, 
untrodden  by  human  foot,  are  veiled  in 
perpetual  cloud. 

We  are  told  that  our  Lord's  birth  was 
due  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  there  is 
little  doubt  that  during  the  thirty  years 
of  His  seclusion  at  Nazareth  He  was 
perpetually  beneath  the  teaching  and 
molding  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit. 
But  His  contract  with  John  the  Baptist 
on  the  banks  of  the  Jordan  marked  a 


150  Calvarg  to  ipentecost 

new  epoch  in  His  life.  It  was  His  Pen- 
tecost. He  was  then  endued  and  an- 
ointed with  the  Spirit  without  measure  ; 
and  from  that  time  He  is  spoken  of  as 
being  full  of  the  Spirit,  as  returning  in 
the  power  of  the  Spirit  to  His  life-work, 
and  as  standing  in  the  synagogue  of 
Nazareth,  conscious  that  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  was  upon  Him,  and  that  He 
had  been  anointed  to  preach.  All  His 
miracles  and  words  thereafter  were 
wrought  and  spoken  beneath  that  same 
inspiration.  It  was  in  the  Eternal  Spirit 
that  He  oflfered  Himself  upon  the  cross ; 
through  the  spirit  of  holiness  that  He 
was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 
power  by  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead;  and  it  was  through  the  Holy 
Ghost  that  He  issued  commands  during 
the  forty  days  of  His  posthumous  min- 


Zbc  Supreme  (51tt  of  tbe  Becenelon  i5i 

istry.  He  does  not  appear,  however,  to 
have  had  any  special  power  of  confer- 
ring upon  others  that  Holy  Spirit  which, 
as  Man,  He  had  so  fully  realized.  It 
is  true  that,  after  His  resurrection,  He 
bade  the  apostles  and  their  associates 
receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  breath 
of  His  lips  was  the  emblem  of  the  gentle 
grace  which  He  communicated.  This, 
however,  appears  to  have  been  rather 
an  anticipation  of  the  power  which  He 
was  soon  to  assume,  than  to  any  large 
extent  a  manifestation  of  it.  In  any 
case  there  is  a  great  contrast  between 
the  breath  of  the  resurrection  evening 
and  the  sound  of  the  mighty  rushing 
wind  that  filled  all  the  house  where  they 
were  sitting.  Up  to  the  time  of  His 
ascension,  therefore,  we  may  think  of 
Jesus  Christ  as  being  charged  with  the 


152  Calvary  to  ipcntecost 

indwelling  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the 
fullest  e.^tent  possible  to  our  nature, 
and  yet  as  not  possessing  in  any  great 
measure  the  faculty  of  communicating 
that  Spirit  to  His  Church. 

With  the  ascension,  however,  all  this 
was  altered.  He  entered  the  presence 
of  God  as  the  representative  Man,  and 
as  the  Surety  of  His  people.  Indeed,  to 
adopt  the  frequently  recurring  thought 
of  the  apostle,  they  rose  with  Him  from 
His  grave,  and  ascended  with  Him  into 
the  heavenlies.  A  great  multitude,  of 
every  nation, kindred, people,and  tongue, 
passed  upward  with  Him  as  He  crossed 
the  confines  between  time  and  eternity, 
between  the  material  and  the  spiritual, 
between  the  seen  and  the  unseen,  and 
in  that  multitude  were  included  all  who 
were   to   believe   in   Him   through   the 


Zbc  Supreme  Gift  of  tbe  Bscensioii  153 

word  of  the  gospel.  The  whole  mysti- 
cal body  was  represented  in  the  Head ; 
the  Church  stood  in  complete  beauty 
before  God.  It  is  therefore  clear  that 
whatever  He  received  from  the  Father 
He  did  not  obtain  for  Himself,  but  as 
the  Trustee  of  those  for  whom  He  stood. 
He  obtained  the  Spirit  in  a  new  and  un- 
exampled measure  that  He  might  hold 
Him  as  a  precious  trust  for  those  who, 
in  the  process  of  the  years,  would  be 
twice  born,  once  of  nature,  and  once  by 
the  regenerating  grace  of  His  Spirit. 

Notice  that  the  word  ''receive,"  which 
almost  always  occurs  in  the  Word  of 
God  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  a  phrase  em- 
ployed to  denote  the  process  by  which 
our  Lord  became  charged  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  as  a  reservoir  or  receptacle  from 
which  we  were  to  receive  grace  upon 


154  Calvarg  to  ipentccost 

grace ;  and  the  whole  Trinity  was  en- 
gaged in  that  august  act  by  which  the 
divine  fuhiess  was  made  to  dwell  in  the 
Divine  Man. 

Turning  now  from  the  expression 
which  sets  forth  our  Lord's  reception 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  the  hands  of  His 
Father,  we  may  notice  the  expressions 
used  of  His  communication  of  this  price- 
less gift  to  His  Church.  Peter  says,  ''  He 
poured  it  forth"  (Acts  ii.  33).  A  sim- 
ilar expression  is  used  of  w^hat  occurred 
in  the  house  of  Cornelius  (Acts  x.  45). 
It  is  as  though  the  walls  of  an  inland 
lake  were  suddenly  pierced,  and  the 
contents  issued  forth  in  torrents. 

The  word  "  fell  upon  "  is  also  used  of 
the  experience  of  those  first  days  (Acts 
xi.  15),  indicating,  doubtless,  the  heav- 
enly source  from  which  the  divine  influ- 


Zbc  Supreme  (5itt  of  tbe  Bsceneion  155 

ence  came.  This  is  in  harmony  with  the 
thought  of  anoijiting.  The  holy  chrism 
must  needs  fall  upon  us  from  above, 
that,  passing  downward  from  the  Head, 
it  may  reach  even  the  garment  hem, 
and  sanctify  the  commonest  and  most 
trivial  acts  of  life  (i  John  ii.  27). 

The  word  '*  baptism  "  is  also  used, 
especially  by  the  Lord  Himself  (Acts  i. 
5),  but  it  has  been  thought  by  some  that 
this  expression  may  perhaps  apply  only 
to  the  gift  of  the  day  of  Pentecost  (Acts 
ii.),  to  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  in 
Samaria  (Acts  viii.),  and  to  the  first  re- 
ception by  Gentiles  of  the  same  august 
gift  in  the  house  of  Cornelius  (Acts  x.). 
There  is  nothing  to  prevent  our  using 
the  expression  more  widely  except  that 
it  is  not  used  throughout  the  New  Tes- 
tament in  this  general  sense,  and  there 


156  Calvary  to  ipentecost 

is  some  fear  lest  the  frequent  use  of 
the  term  ''baptism,"  as  apphed  to  the 
Holy  Ghost,  may  lead  people  to  look  for 
something  extraordinary,  abnormal,  and 
emotional. 

The  word  "  filling,"  therefore,  is  a 
term  which  best  expresses  our  experi- 
ence, as  we  claim  our  part  in  the  su- 
preme gift  of  the  ascension.  After  His 
Pentecost  our  I>ord  was  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit;  and  after  their  baptism  in 
the  upper  room  the  little  company  that 
had  gathered  there  is  described  as  being 
"  filled,"  women  as  well  as  men,  the  rank 
and  file  of  the  Church  equally  with  the 
apostles.  So  throughout  the  New  Tes- 
tament this  is  the  term  most  often  em- 
ployed. There  is  this  thought  connected 
with  the  conception  of  filling  which  may 
comfort    some    whose   natures   are    un- 


^be  Supreme  (5itt  of  tbe  Beccnefon  ir)7 

emotional,  that  a  well  may  be  filled  by 
the  percolation  of  drop  after  drop,  as 
well  as  by  the  rush  of  a  stream,  and  that 
those  who  are  able  to  claim  the  indwell- 
ing of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  His  fulness, 
without  rapture  or  emotion,  or  any  defi- 
nite experience,  may  as  surely  count  on 
being  filled  as  those  who  can  point  to 
the  time  and  place  when  they  passed 
through  some  marked  spiritual  experi- 
ence which  was  attended  by  deep  and 
rapturous  joy. 

It  Is  sometimes  asked  whether  the  gift 
of  Pentecost  refers  primarily  to  character 
or  to  office  in  the  early  Church.  But 
they  appear  to  have  been  closely  con- 
joined. The  chapter  which  begins  with 
the  account  of  the  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  ends  with  the  delightful  picture 
of  the  love  and  unselfishness,  the  glad- 


158  Calvary  to  [pentecost 

ness  and  simplicity  of  the  Church,  and 
it  is  after  these  characteristics  have  been 
enumerated  that  we  are  told  of  the  evi- 
dent power  that  it  wielded  over  men. 
Stephen  is  described  as  full  of  grace 
and  power  (Acts  vi.  8,  R.  V.).  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  first  indication 
of  the  new  era  which  dated  from  Pente- 
cost was  the  cessation  of  rivalry  and 
jealousy,  which  had  marred  the  relations 
of  the  apostles,  and  the  introduction  of 
a  spirit  of  gentle  love.  At  the  same 
time  it  is  unquestionable  that  one  main 
end  in  the  gift  of  Pentecost  was  to  equip 
the  Church  for  the  work  of  evangelizing 
the  world.  Jesus  did  not  attempt  His 
public  ministry  until  He  was  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  He  forbade  His  dis- 
ciples undertaking  their  work  in  the 
Church  until   they  had   received   their 


Zbc  Supreme  (51tt  of  tbe  Meccnsion  ivj 

Pentecostal  equipment.  The  presence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  perpetually  asso- 
ciated with  pQwei',  as  in  the  case  of  Ste- 
phen and  many  others.  And  in  Ephe- 
sians  iv.  the  apostle  distinctly  associates 
the  ascension  with  the  gifts  to  prophets, 
teachers,  pastors,  evangelists,  and  other 
workers  in  the  ranks  of  God's  people. 

The  filling  of  the  Holy  Spirit  means 
holiness,  purity,  love;  but  it  includes 
more.  If  you  have  the  former  alone, 
never  rest  until  by  faith  in  the  ascended 
Saviour  you  have  become,  in  your  mea- 
sure, filled  with  power,  before  which  hard 
hearts  shall  break,  dry  eyes  shall  fill 
with  tears,  conscience  shall  spring  from 
its  grave  and  fill  the  chambers  of  the 
heart  with  remonstrances,  and  your  foes 
shall  be  unable  to  withstand  the  wisdom 
and  the  Spirit  by  which  you  speak. 


160  Calvary  to  ipentecost 

The  work  of  the  Spirit  within  us  pre- 
cedes His  anointing  upon  us ;  but  some 
experience  the  first  without  going  for- 
ward to  claim  the  second.  It  is  much 
to  have  Him  as  a  crown  of  glory  and  a 
diadem  of  beauty ;  but  let  us  ask  Him  to 
be  unto  us  also  for  strength,  to  enable 
us  to  turn  the  battle  from  the  gate  (Isa. 
xxviii.  6). 


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